Possession
by Kindkat
Summary: Possession - the state of having, owning, or controlling something. "Animals do not belong to anyone," she replied sternly. His lips turned upward into his signature smile at her change of tone, as if he took pleasure in riling her up. "Everything and everyone belongs to someone." AU.
1. Chapter 1

Lex Luthor was in a very focused mindset that morning as he walked around his mansion with his assistant trailing behind him. The woman walked confidently, barely making any noise as if she was a trained assassin. Anyone who knew Lex Luthor wouldn't expect anything less. He could see the crowd of workers hurrying around his home; caterers bringing in food, waiters setting up tables.

Lex Luthor had been invited to one of Bruce Wayne's many festivities just the week before where the bat vigilante had take it upon himself to throw the party of the century, or so the papers had called it. Lex had attended just to spite the man, but found himself looking around in disdain as he realized it was all a lavish show in order to make it apparent to Lex who the most powerful man was in this part of town. Wayne had hired a band that was apparently all the rage nowadays as his guests sang along to each song as if it was sacrament.

Lex had left the party feeling nothing but the need to show his rival that he wasn't about to be pushed out of the rich kid scene. He was going to show that he too held the same power that Wayne did.

And that's exactly what Lex was doing as he watched countless workers hurry to set up the space to the best of their abilities. There was a stage that had been set in the ball room, as archaic as it might sound, that was awaiting a very special guest. One whom Lex didn't bother to learn the name of.

"Mister Luthor, the animals have just arrived," Mercy spoke as she ended her call on her headset. His eyebrow quirked up.

"Animals?" He questioned. He had not been informed that he would be hosting a petting zoo tonight.

"Yes, for the performer. She demanded that she have her animals on stage with her. It could pose a safety issue though," she replied as she looked through her clipboard of lists. Lex's mouth turned into a slight smirk in amusement.

"Mercy, who exactly did you book?" He asked, humming as he took out a jolly rancher from his coat pocket.

"You told me to hire the biggest artist there was and that's exactly what I did. Her name is Kassandra Lorn," she replied as she checked things off on the papers in front of her.

"Never heard of her," he dismissed. Lex himself didn't find the time or need to occupy himself with the world's entertainment these days. His attentions were solely focused on the bat vigilante and the god from the sky.

"Your guests were ecstatic when they heard she was appearing. I'm sure she will please you," Mercy replied as she finally looked at her boss. He nodded and indicated for her to follow him outside where he whistled as he caught site of the trucks that held the animals she had spoken about. A cage held multiple birds of all colors, a very exotic sight for the likes of Metropolis. His gaze landed on the bigger cage where a tiger stood, staring at him as if it could read into his soul.

"Hmmm. I like this," he said with a shake of his finger. "This gets people talking." He decided that whoever Mercy had decided to hire would do a fine job in keeping his guests and himself well entertained. They strode back into his home once more as he looked everything over, silently evaluating the way it was coming together. Once he was satisfied with everything he excused himself in order to prepare for that evening. If he was about to throw the biggest party Metropolis had ever seen then he certainly had to look the part.

* * *

Clark Kent had arrived at Lex's place in order to cover the party for a story. He wasn't particularly happy to be there as he had wanted to spend the night with Lois but after all, he had to keep his job. She had encouraged him to go so that he could return and tell her all about it. Metropolis had been buzzing about the party as there were rumors that Kassandra Lorn was hired to perform. He had watched her perform once, and the wild woman had caught his attention. She certainly was a performer who kept everyone on their toes.

Bruce Wayne had arrived at the festivities with mild amusement. Lex Luthor throwing a party after he had done so a week ago was at best a childish attempt at asserting dominance. He looked around the party with a raised eyebrow. The amount of money that had gone to setting it up would have been immense.

Everyone watched as their host made his way up to the stage, speaking a bit about the fight for knowledge and power. His rambles reminded both Clark and Wayne of an eccentric kid who couldn't well make up his mind with what he wanted to talk about. He finally ended his speech in an abrupt manner before throwing himself into the sea of guests.

Lex couldn't care about these people any less. They were all here for the show. None of them truly cared about him, they wanted to see what the Luthor legacy had become. He was proud of what he had accomplished in LexCorp, finally having proved himself in the world of technology. The older businessmen had all regarded him with skepticism as he was the opposite of his father. While his father had been stoic and firm, Lex was quite unconventional in his ways.

"Bruce Wayne," Lex greeted as he sauntered over to the man with a grin. "Are you enjoying the party?"

Bruce held a polite smile that irked Lex as he looked around the grandeur setup. "I have to say, you might have just outdone me," he admitted with a grin. Lex let out a small laugh, having already claimed victory when he had seen the faces of his guests arriving. They had all been mesmerized by the crystal chandeliers and lavish entrees.

Gasps and mutters of excitement were heard throughout the crowd, causing both men to look towards what had caught everyone's attention. Lex caught sight of a man bringing the tiger he had seen earlier up to the stage and clapped his hands together in excitement.

"Looks like the entertainment is here. If you'll excuse me," he said with a curt nod as he moved towards the stage. Another man had brought the cage of birds up to the stage, leaving the door open. The birds surprisingly stayed put as if waiting for some order, and Lex was surprised to see that the tiger as well had taken a seat on the stage in an unnervingly calm manner.

"Ladies and gentleman, I have a very special treat for you tonight. Let's please welcome Kassandra Lorn," he announced, clapping his hands as Mercy instructed a woman up the stage. He himself made his way down, placing himself near the champagne table with curiosity. This was the first time he had caught sight of the performer Mercy had hired and he was pleased so far. She was a young woman, appearing to be around 24 years of age. Her dark burgundy hair had small wild flowers braided into it. He found that it framed her pale face well as her green eyes looked out towards the crowd, scanning the excited faces. A small smile lit up her face as her gaze landed on Lex and the music began.

Her voice was captivating as she began to sing, the music growing louder as she danced around the stage. Her hair flew everywhere and everyone watched as the birds flew out of the cage, circling around her as she twirled. Her dress flew around her and Lex stood mesmerized by the sight. She resembled a small fairy, flitting around graciously unaware of her own beauty.

She belted out lyrics effortlessly as the birds flew around, this time flying higher as the tiger who stood at the edge got up. The crowd hushed as they watched it stalk towards her, their hearts in their throats with fear that the animal would pounce on their dear singer at any moment. Instead they let out joyous cheers as they saw the girl circle around the tiger, the beast falling into step with her as if in some intricate dance.

Neither Lex nor Bruce had ever seen such a thing before. To see a wild beast be so tame was not common, and Clark found himself wondering if she was even of this world.

The young woman ended her song, kneeling down to place a kiss on the tiger's head as the crowd roared in applause. Lex himself politely clapped, now sure that he had indeed outdone Wayne. He stared intently at the girl as she jumped off the stage, waving goodbye to the animals as they were taken away by the men who had brought them. Lex took his time before approaching her, stopping to speak to a few other guests as to not seem eager to meet the girl of the hour. The girl who had stolen the spotlight from him.

He had to admit it was his own doing. He _had_ asked Mercy to book the most captivating entertainer and she had not failed at her task. He watched her from the corner of his eye as he nodded along to a story the man in front of him was telling, noticing how men had already begun to circle around her. He quickly excused himself and strode over to the young woman.

"I'm sorry gentlemen but I'm going to need to steal this lovely lady from you," he said with a grin. The men scowled but walked away from their host.

"If I knew the men would be so lascivious I think I might have declined your invitation, Mister Luthor" she said with slight amusement as she took a sip of her champagne glass.

"Yes well, men do tend to be very lewd when it comes to beautiful women," he complimented, earning a small grin from her. Up close she was even more beautiful, with freckles spread across her cheeks and hints of gold in her eyes. "I must say I am very impressed with your performance. I can't say I've ever seen something like it."

"Thank you," she replied politely as she set her glass down. He could tell that she was itching to leave the party as she looked around, wrapping her arms around herself uncomfortably.

"Not your cup of tea?" He asked in amusement. He found it odd how she seemed to be so at home on stage with animals but looked like a deer caught in headlights among people.

"I have to admit that I don't usually come to festivities like these," she replied as she glanced around the room. Her eyes locked on Bruce Wayne, who held her gaze as he took a sip of his drink.

"But you just couldn't resist this one," Lex replied smugly. He had done a quick search on her just moments before the party and had concluded that she was someone who kept very much to herself. She performed various concerts and festivals but otherwise kept out of the media. Despite her lack of social outings, she had built an incredibly impressive fan base with fans who would do anything she asked. She had come to be adored, that much was obvious from the one simple performance he had seen.

Kassandra had to admit to herself that the only reason she had accepted to perform was because she was interested in Lex Luthor. He had become a sort of legend, a young man taking over Metropolis's biggest company and outstandingly so. She had seen a picture of him in a paper one night and decided that he was a man she wished to meet, and when the opportunity presented itself she could not say no.

"You should return to your guests. I can see some just itching to speak to you," she replied with a small smirk. The man in front of her was what she had expected; eccentric and smooth talking. He was only a few years older than she was and she found that she very much appreciated the fact that he wasn't another suffocating business man. No, this was someone who knew how to have fun.

"I'm perfectly happy where I am," he replied as he observed her. "Tell me, are those your animals?" He asked as he referred to the ones who had accompanied her on stage.

"Animals do not belong to anyone," she replied sternly. His lips turned upward into his signature smile at her change of tone as if he took pleasure in riling her up.

"Everything and everyone belongs to someone," Lex replied with a smirk.

"And you? Who do you belong to then mister Luthor?" She replied as she cocked her head, her hair falling down her shoulder. The angle of her face reflected the light causing her cheekbones to appear more prominent.

"I belong to myself of course," he replied happily. She let out a small laugh, surprising Lex as he had expected her to regard him with distaste as nearly everyone did. Instead she seemed to be amused by his reply, nodding her head in understanding.

Lex held out his arm, urging her to lace hers through his and walked around the room. They greeted guests together, everyone immediately enchanted by the woman. It was not common to see Lex Luthor with a woman on his arm, although he now understood why his father had always held one in ever social outing he made. It gave him a sense of power to parade the young woman around.

"Thank you for your time and generosity," Kassandra thanked Lex as she stood at his doorway. She had been the last of his guests to stay as he insisted on having her meet everyone. Now the party was over and all that was left was the mess to be cleaned up by his staff. "It was very lovely meeting you Mister Luthor," she said with a small smirk. She had allowed him to parade her around like some show horse because she could see in his eyes his need to be accepted.

"The pleasure was all mine, Miss Lorn," he replied as he looked around. There were no cars in sight, only the cage that held the tiger had been left behind. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he realized that this animal had been left on his property.

"Don't worry. I'm taking her with me," Kassandra spoke as she walked over to the cage.

"And how exactly are you getting home?" Lex asked as she opened the cage. He watched nervously as the tiger stretched before walking out, walking around to awaken its muscles.

"Walking," she replied simply. She lived in Metropolis, and now that her last tour was over she was looking forward to being home. She had a small house with an ample backyard not too far from Lex's place. It was a quiet and private place that she loved dearly.

"You could just stay here," Lex suggested, unsure as to why he wanted the girl to stay. She had nothing more to offer him. She had already made his night a success.

"No. We couldn't do that," she replied with a smile. "Thank you for the party. It was surprisingly less excruciating than I expected." Lex grinned slightly at her choice of words.

"You are welcome back any time," he called out. She smiled in his direction before turning towards the tiger.

"Come Sasha," she beckoned and Lex watched in astonishment as the tiger moved with her, walking at the same pace by her side. Kassandra held no fear towards the animal and that fearlessness left an impression in Lex Luthor's mind.

* * *

 _ **A/N: I am very excited to start this story although it will be AU. I listened to Drumming Song by Florence and the Machine for the inspiration of Kassandra's performance scene so I suggest giving it a listen as it suits the story well.**_


	2. Chapter 2

Lex was quite pleased as he set down the Daily Planet paper he had been reading. The front page held a photo of him and Kassandra among his guests and the article focused on the amount of excitement that had been in the air that night. The elite had been impressed and judging by the article, so had Clark Kent. His smile turned wry as he realized that he owed his success to the young performer. Her presence had been described as ethereal by those who attended and he couldn't say he disagreed.

He realized that the buzz around him would soon fade away unless he kept up his image. Despite the night before, Kassandra Lorn still remained a mystery to him. She had been sweet and genuine enough to captivate his guests and he deduced that she would be a good person to keep around even if it were just for simple entertainment purposes.

Lex found himself making phone calls to people he usually used for _other_ sorts of inquiries.

* * *

"I see you've made quite a spectacle." Diana Prince sat across from Kassandra as they enjoyed a cup of coffee in a small cafe. It was a small establishment that wasn't frequented by anyone of high social stature and it had quickly become one of their favorite spots in town. The coffee was good and the environment warm. It was something both women appreciated.

"Don't I always?" She replied with a mischievous smirk. The woman rolled her eyes at her younger friend's naivety. Yes, Kassandra was beautiful and clever but in her opinion the girl was often too optimistic. She clung to her idea that people were ultimately good with a desperation to believe it as if it was the only thing keeping her sane. Kassandra had to believe that deep down people were made of love, and that applied to Lex Luthor as well.

"He's dangerous, Kass," she replied as she pointed towards the picture of Lex on the front page of the paper. The redhead knew that. She had heard the stories before. Kassandra took a sip of her hot drink before looking over the paper in front of her for the first time.

"I look good," she commented lightheartedly. Diana's stern look immediately had her putting all playfulness aside. The woman meant business and would not tolerate her jokes.

"I can handle myself." Lex Luthor was the most powerful man in the city and she would be wise to not end up on the wrong side of him. Diana feared for her because she had been foolish and put herself onto his radar.

"It's not about that," Diana insisted. The red head watched her in amusement as the usually collected woman huffed. Diana had always been a serious being; the polar opposite of herself. "He'll use you," she warned. "He'll find out your strengths and use them for his own agenda."

"I don't know why we're speaking about this. It's not as if I'm going to see him again," she replied as she absentmindedly stirred her coffee. The performance had a one time thing that happened due to her curiosity. She hadn't planned on anything else happening afterwards although her friend seemed to have a different idea. She had simply wanted to meet the famous Lex and see if all the rumors about him were true. After a night of being his guest, she had come to the conclusion that most were.

"Powerful men only seek to acquire that which will make them stronger," Diana replied coolly.

"Does this have something to do with your recent encounters with Wayne?" Kassandra was blunt in her questioning. She had taken notice of her friend's newest acquaintance and the fact that she knew took the woman aback. "Don't worry, I'm sure he has the best intentions for you," Kassandra chuckled, earning a frown from the beautiful woman in front of her. She was not as naive as she appeared to be.

"Lex Luthor does not have a heart. Wayne is different,"Diana argued. Kassandra scoffed. To claim that Lex had no heart was a bold move. All humans felt emotion, no matter how much they attempted to convince people otherwise. Kassandra was sure that Wayne had his own faults but somehow he had managed to convince Diana that he was trustworthy. "He'll figure it out," Diana warned. The girl in front of her smiled slightly at her friend's warning. Lex Luthor was bright and more than capable of putting two and two together.

"I'm sure he will."

* * *

Lex frowned as he sat at his desk, flipping through the papers his informant had sent him. He read through everything he had found on Kassandra Lorn which admittedly wasn't as much as he had expected. After her childhood she had done a very good job of keeping her affairs secret with no paper trails. There were only documents recording her various tours and places she had stayed at. He cursed as he scanned the few papers he had, unsure if it was enough. He would have to phone another acquaintance and see if they could do a better job in digging up dirt on the girl.

His sighed as his eyes scanned through the words of earlier reports, eyebrows raising when he read a few things that surprised him. It wasn't a complete waste of time after all. He continued on for an hour or so as he committed each fact to memory no matter how insignificant.

He scowled as he sifted through the various photographs at the end. In them were Kassandra and Diana Prince, a metahuman who Lex had been keeping his eye on for quite sometime. He briefly wondered how he had failed to notice Kassandra before but attributed it to the fact he was solely focusing on Diana at the time. Their friendship immediately sent his mind racing with possibilities regarding the red headed girl.

"Mercy," he called over the intercom. "Find me Kassandra Lorn's phone number."

* * *

"Hello Sasha," Kassandra greeted as she walked into her backyard. Her home was small and humble but it was home nonetheless. She had purposely bought the house with a huge backyard to accommodate her friend. The tigress lifted her head from where she had been napping and taking in the warm sun to acknowledge her.

 _Hello Kassie._ Kassandra smiled as she heard the tigress's reply in her head, taking a seat beside her in the grass. The tigress laid her head back down as she continued to rest. Kassandra had found the tiger when she was just a baby, a circus having deserted her as they could no longer take care of her and the two had bonded well over the years. Kassandra had ostracized herself from society for a while as she dealt with her own personal demons and having the tigress for company had comforted her. In fact the tigress had been the one to suggest she immerse herself into the arts when she had heard her singing years ago. Kassandra had taken her advice, and credited her fame and success to her.

"Yesterday was a success. Thank you for that," she said softly as she stroked her back. Her fur was soft and brought comfort to her. She was happy to be home again as she had to leave her tigress with a tiger reservation whenever she went on tour. The tigress never held it against her as she knew that Kassandra would always return.

 _You have been nothing but kind to me for all of my life. The favor was a small one. I am glad you were pleased._

Kassandra sighed as she took a swig of her water bottle and wondered if she would ever see Lex Luthor again. They were from different worlds and famous for very different reasons. She had been surprisingly charmed by the man although she knew that he was known for his conniving ways. Diana had made that extremely clear. Still, she couldn't help but relate to him as he had made his way around the party in an attempt to receive validation.

 _The boy seemed to like you._ Kassandra turned her head towards the tiger, lifting an eyebrow. Sasha had gone straight to sleep the night before and they had not discussed the performance. She was surprised to hear that the tigress had been paying attention to her at all.

"Really?" She asked in amusement. The tiger let out a low purr; its own way of laughing.

 _He reeked of pheromones._ Kassandra laughed at her explanation. Of course she would pick up on that. _But so did you._

"That's hardly fair" she said with a chuckle. "My pheromones act up whenever I see a cute boy."

 _Not as much as they did when you were with him._

Kassandra's smile faded as she realized that the tigress was right. She had found herself strangely attracted to the eccentric man. Maybe even in the back of her head she hoped that he would reach out to her after the party, but she knew it was a long shot. Men like Lex Luthor had companies to run. They had things to create, meetings to hold, and checks to sign. Their time was money and he would most like be preoccupied with thoughts of more important things than her.

* * *

Lex Luthor stood from a distance as he watched Kassandra converse happily with the tiger by her side. The tiger never once moved its mouth and yet the girl kept the conversation going as if it had indeed replied to her. He frowned as he realized that she was most likely a metahuman and therefore he should despise her. He should be thinking of ways to end her just as he was planning Superman's end.

Lex was intelligent, and Clark Kent's _disguise_ hadn't fooled him for a second. He knew Superman's identity but he was still planning on what to do with it. He had found newfound annoyance in Bruce Wayne, who he also quickly realized was simply Bruce Wayne dressed up in the best technology he could buy. The fact he had taken it upon himself to be some sort of hero exasperated him. A man trying to be more than he was, trying to be _good_ when it was obvious that his nature was of a darker sort made him laugh.

He hated both Superman and Batman. He hated them with a passion and wanted them gone. The metahumans were different, but still Lex had found himself looking at them with disdain simply because they had powers he could only dream of ever acquiring. These metahumans had somehow just been born with a different set of genes; an _evolved_ set. Lex wasn't sure whether he wanted them gone or whether he wanted to study them, although he was sure that if they attempted to become heroes that he would condemn them to the same fate that awaited Superman.

Lex stood puzzled as he realized that for some odd reason he couldn't find any hatred in his heart towards the redhead. He stared at her intently as if he would be able to find something on her face to make him hate her. As if he could find some sort of sign to prove to himself that the world would be better off without her. Instead the smile that graced her lips caused a peculiar feeling in his stomach that was not necessarily pleasant but it was not vile. It was simply new. It was unknown. He turned away and headed back towards his own home, contemplating the difference routes of action he could take. He arrived home just as he made a decision. If he could not destroy her, then perhaps she would be a powerful ally to have. He would make her an offer she wouldn't be able to resist.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Thank you for reading! Don't forget to hit the follow button if you want to receive notifications when I update**_


	3. Chapter 3

LexCorp was astir as Kassandra Lorn walked through the building, quickly directed towards the elevator by a young woman who smiled excitedly when the singer had greeted her. The majority of LexCorp was made up of young innovative people, most hired straight out of college as they had shown an incredible amount of promise during their studies. Lex refused to surround himself with those who had antiquated ways of thinking and almost always opted for the younger crowd whenever he could. It gave an almost carefree vibe to the place as everyone seemed at ease around each other.

Kassandra had been amused as she passed by the basketball court set up right in the first floor. She had never seen such a thing and it was refreshing to find a corporation that allowed their employees some down time. The men playing immediately stopped as they turned to look at her, admiration clouding their eyes as they realized who had stepped into their workplace. She had received a phone call from Lex Luthor the night before asking her to come in, although he refused to explain why. Curiosity had overcome her once again and she had found herself willing to meet with him just once more.

 _Curiosity killed the cat._ Only she hoped she would have a much more pleasant outcome.

Kassandra arrived on the 10th floor, gingerly stepping out of the elevator into the long hallway. She passed by an open conference room where many of the workers gasped as they noticed her walk by. One of them ran out to stop her, a young man with an eager smile.

"Kassandra Lorn, I'm such a big fan," he gushed with a smile as she stopped to say hello. He couldn't be older than twenty and Kassandra smiled as he hesitantly asked for a photograph. She happily obliged, and watched as he ran back into the room only to reappear a second later.

"I know you're busy but do you think you could sign some things for the others? They're all really excited that you're here," he explained sheepishly. She laughed and assured him it was alright as she entered the room, immediately bombarded by eager young faces. Lex could wait, she decided. These were people who adored her, and whose adoration was the sole reason she was able to provide for herself. They were all young interns and Kassandra quickly glanced around the blueprints they were sketching up for some new aerospace equipment. She was impressed at their ingenuity and their youth was refreshing. She herself was young but she had always felt older than her age.

She quickly took notice of the glass walls that separated the room she was in from Lex's office next door. She could see Lex seated in his office next door, watching curiously at the sight. Kassandra shot him an apologetic smile as she finished her round of pictures and autographs before departing them, walking through the door that connected the room to where he awaited her.

Lex had watched them as they worshiped the ground she had walked on. He had always been perplexed at the idea of fame arising from things such as simply having a nice voice, but people liked what they liked. It was people who decided where they laid their importance and devotion and she had clearly been it. She held a sense of power in her stance although her smile remained kind while she was among them. She was their idol, their saint who would be worshiped on countless nights as her voice would flow over their excitement as they stood in crowds just to get a glimpse of her. But people were not saints nor were they good, and of that Lex was sure. People would betray you in an instant if you dangled their deepest desire in their face. Loyalty, Lex found, was hard to come by these days.

The employee's faces all drained as they realized that their boss had been watching as they crowded the young star instead of focusing on the task they had been given. He had purposely moved the curtain that would usually conceal his office from them in order to keep a watchful eye over their work. He was testing them, waiting to see how they would react to the girl. He was pleased with what he had seen.

"Mister Luthor," Kassandra greeted with a nod as she strode over to his desk. He held a mischievous grin as he observed her. Her red hair flowed in waves with an intricate gold floral headband placed in sharp contrast to it. Her dress was white and flowed effortlessly, hitting right above the knee. She looked as if she had just walked out of Mount Olympus itself.

"Miss Lorn," he greeted with a nod as he motioned for her to sit down. "I see my employees were quite taken with you," he commented with an arch of his eyebrow. She smirked in response, sending a quick wave to those who attempted to watch her meeting with Luthor discretely from the other room. They hung their heads in embarrassment at being caught and immediately returned to the work in front of them, allowing them their privacy. Kassandra noticed the curtains that had been drawn back, and briefly wondered if he purposely meant to show his employees their meeting.

"Your business is eccentric," she replied with a smile. "It's quite fun."

"Not just fun. We get a lot done here," he replied as he sat up in his desk. "At least when they're not distracted."

She noticed his casual clothing as he straightened himself. Just a t-shirt and jeans. He looked like a college student himself, not a millionaire who owned his own company. Lex had ultimately decided to befriend the girl in front of him. After all, the fastest way to achieve greater power was to surround yourself with others who had it.

"What can I do for you Mister Luthor?" She asked with a tilt of her head. He frowned at her formalities- having expected some enjoyable conversation before they got down to business similar to the kind they had shared during their first night in each other's company - but nonetheless proceeded to answer her question.

"Simple. I want you to join my company," he replied with a sly smile. He had given it much thought and decided that having her on his side was a smart move. Especially since he had noticed Bruce Wayne had recruited Diana Prince into his own entourage. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion at his offer.

"I don't know anything about science," she replied unsure of what he wanted her to do. He smirked at her naivety and dismissed her reply with a simple wave.

"No, no. LexCorp needs a face. Someone who will be excellent in recruiting new sponsors and whose face on billboards will demand attention."

"I thought you were the face," she replied in amusement. She had a certain sense of charm that he couldn't deny as he had found himself taken with her since the night they had met. He chuckled at her answer, noting the playful teasing in her tone of voice.

"I still am but I cannot be in all places at once. You already have a substantial fanbase who would support your endeavors, and I'm sure you'd be perfect in persuading others to hop on board with our projects," he reasoned with a playful smile. "You'd have a hefty salary along with paid vacations and the freedom to walk around this place as if you owned it. You see, _I like you_ , Kassandra. And that doesn't happen very often," he continued with a charming smile. She stared at him as she thought about his proposal, Diana's words in the back of her mind. She had very much enjoyed her night with Lex but she had been a guest then. What he was proposing posed a different situation which held a different set of responsibilities. As much as she wanted to know Lex, working with him seemed an odd situation to her.

"I appreciate the offer very much but I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline." Lex's smile fell as she rejected his offer. He was immediately overcome by annoyance as she seemed to believe that she had done nothing wrong in saying no. Lex didn't take rejection kindly.

"I suggest you take the offer, Kassandra." His voice was void of all playfulness and she raised an eyebrow at his demand. So this was what the controlling side of Lex Luthor looked like.

"And why should I do that?" She questioned bluntly, matching the drop of all lightheartedness in their conversation. His eyes flashed dangerously as he attempted to take control of the situation but he quickly realized that she held herself highly. She belonged to no one, and would not succumb to his demands.

"It would be a shame if something happened to Sasha," he replied nonchalantly. Kassandra exhaled sharply as he mentioned the tiger. Her perspective on Lex Luthor completely transformed in that second. He was not charming. He was manipulative. He was a tyrant who wanted nothing but control over those he did not have. "You know, the Metropolis Animal Activists are quite serious when it comes to what they believe in. I was doing some research, you know, for _fun_ , and I discovered that to legally own a tiger you need a substantial amount of square footage. Something that, if my sources are correct, your home lacks."

She glared at him as he smiled innocently, not at the actual threat but at the different persona he had taken when she had rejected him. She wasn't sure what to make of the sudden shift in character but the fact that he had the audacity to threaten her left her momentarily baffled.

"Knowledge is power, Miss Lorn," he said as he leaned forward. He expected her to immediately surrender at his threat. To agree to his offer that would help him spread his business even further. It was not a bad offer, in fact it was more than he had ever offered to anyone. He searched her eyes for that glimmer of fear he had grown accustomed to seeing. Instead she laughed with a gleam of amusement in her eyes that startled him. He wasn't used to being laughed at and was left bewildered by her cheerfulness.

If he thought that she hadn't already charmed Metropolis's animal rights activists, he was wrong. She had settled that dispute long ago. But his efforts to blackmail her were cute, she decided.

She held up a finger signaling for him to wait as she stood and opened the door back to the conference room where his employees were still working. From inside their point of view their meeting had seemed nothing but friendly.

"Can I bother one of you for a drink? Something sweet perhaps?" She asked with a genuine smile. Many of them scrambled as they rushed downstairs towards the cafeteria. She smiled as she watched them go and returned back to her seat in front of Lex. He watched her intently as he tried to understand her sudden need for a refreshment during such a momentous discussion. She sat and smiled, raising a hand to hush him when he attempted to speak. He frowned, irritated at being left in the dark. Her smile never left her face and it was enough to throw him off his game- something that wasn't easily done.

A young employee rushed into the room carrying a tray of glasses, each filled with a different drink. He placed the tray on Lex's desk without a single look at his boss as his gaze focused solely on the beautiful woman. Lex had to refrain from an eye roll at the obvious adoration.

"I didn't know what you would want so I brought you all of the sweet drinks we had," he replied bashfully. Kassandra smiled at the boy's actions and timid nature.

"This is perfect. Thank you." Lex watched as the boy returned to the other side of the wall, seemingly pleased with himself. His gaze drifted back towards Kassandra who was mindlessly running a finger over the top of the glasses.

"Fear, Mister Luthor, only does so much," she began as she met his gaze. Her green eyes were filled with sincerity, an indicator that she truly believed in what she spoke. "When people respect you, when they truly look up to you, it causes them to go well above what they are required to do." She motioned to the glasses in front of her as an example. " _Influence_ is power, Lex. I suggest you change your method of negotiating if you wish to have more successful meetings in the future."

She stood gracefully, taking a step away from him.

"You can threaten me all you want, but I do not fear you." Her eyes held subtle playfulness as her lips turned up in a small grin. She acted as if she were dealing with a child. Lex was instantly riled up by her lack of belief in his threat, but the way she looked at him caused him to remain quiet. She was aware of the fact that the man in front of her was dangerous but she had stubbornly felt the need to bring him back to earth where he was simply a man and not a god. You could not simply take what you wanted. Especially not when it came to people.

Lex watched as she strode out of his office and down the hall towards the elevator before disappearing as the doors closed behind her. He scowled as his gaze landed on the array of drinks that sat untouched in front of him, having only been ordered to prove a point. He had planned for this to go a different way entirely and the way their conversation had played out was not what he had hoped for. He exhaled a frustrated sigh as he picked up his phone and dialed the number to a very _talented_ associate. He had always enjoyed a good game, and she was proving to be a worthy player with her unyielding personality. If she did not fear him, then she would learn to. Everyone learned that lesson eventually.

* * *

 _A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews! I hope this chapter was enough for now, and I'll be updating soon. I just have to finish tweaking with it. Again, thank you for reading._


	4. Chapter 4

"Mr. Wayne," Kassandra greeted as the man intercepted her only a block away from LexCorp. She was still reeling from her conversation with the company's head and had been startled when the man had abruptly shown up in her peripheral vision before coming to stand before her. He looked put together as always in dress pants and a crisp navy shirt.

"Miss Lorn, may I have a moment?" He asked politely, gesturing towards his open car door. She eyed him warily but nodded, entering the luxurious limousine that he had apparently been driving around in. The identity of the driver was hidden behind the small closed window. She looked around nervously, unsure of what the man would possibly want from her.

"I'm sorry for the abruptness. You seem to be a very difficult person to get a hold of," Bruce said as he took a seat beside her. She gave a small smile as she placed her hands in her lap.

"You did a pretty good job at finding me anyway," she replied with lightheartedness. She had spent many years of her life in Gotham so the Wayne name was something she understood the importance of. She had seen him here and there over the years but the first time she had formally met him had been at Lex's party where he had been a complete gentleman. She could see why Diana had come to value his friendship, if you could call it that. The woman held herself very rigidly and it was difficult to form an actual connection with someone who feared they would outlive you. Needless to say she kept her circle exceptionally small.

"Diana tells me you had a meeting with LexCorp today," he began, causing her to frown slightly. She didn't understand why her friend had divulged such information to him. It was something that had been told to her in confidence. "How well do you know Lex?" He questioned.

"I don't see how that's any of your business," she replied defensively. She didn't take people invading her privacy lightly and was immediately put off by the man. If he was going to lecture her about the dangers of the man just as Diana had done then she would rather save him the trouble.

"LexCorp influences many things around here, and many of those things end up on my desk in some way or another. I like to keep my eyes open to avoid any...surprises," he explained vaguely. She stared harshly at the man, an immediate dislike running through her veins.

"Isn't that a bit like cheating? If you are a competitor you should be focusing on your own projects," she chastised. He held back his tongue as his annoyance grew at her refusal to reveal any information regarding her recent meeting with Luthor. He needed to know whether he was recruiting metahumans for his own needs.

"I think we got off on a bad note. I didn't bring you here to speak about LexCorp," he replied, attempting to shift in subject and seem amiable. Kassandra fidgeted in her seat uncomfortably. She was no stranger to powerful men but the way Bruce Wayne held himself made her uneasy.

"I have a fundraiser coming up in a few months and I wanted to know if you would be interested in performing. We would sell tickets to the public. Many of my fellow colleagues were quite impressed with your little performance at the Luthor mansion. They believe you would make the night successful."

"No." Bruce Wayne froze, not having expected such a quick and frank answer. She appeared to be bored by the look on her face, obviously disinterested in anything he had to offer. Kassandra just wanted to go home at this point.

"Miss Lorn, I don't think you understand how big of an opportunity this is for you. You could make _real_ connections," he attempted to persuade her but could see his attempts would be futile when her expression failed to change. Lex had held a dangerous look in his eyes at her rejection but his personality remained playful for the most part. The man in front of her held no humor in his eyes.

"I'm not performing at the moment. I have just arrived home after spending time abroad and I would appreciate the chance to live a normal life for a few months. I'm sorry, Mr. Wayne," she replied decisively. She opened the door eagerly wanting to escape the vehicle she had been confined in.

"You performed for Lex Luthor." His words caused her to stop in surprise at the amount of venom that dripped from his voice. Bruce Wayne had an obvious dislike towards Lex but she couldn't help but wonder why he acted so childishly; throwing a fit over not having her perform. She was sure he would find someone as capable to fill the spot. She was not a toy that could be passed around to play with just because another millionaire had already done so. She scoffed, not dignifying him with an answer before marching out of the car.

She haughtily walked away as the car sped off in the opposite direction, not once turning around to look at him. She was not an object who could be bought and it seemed as if the men she had met with today were somehow convinced otherwise. She could feel her labored breathing against her chest as she huffed, annoyed with how the day had turned out. It dawned on her that Bruce Wayne was not even of this city and had been watching her purposely since the moment she had entered LexCorp.

"Men," she muttered to herself as she hailed a taxi.

* * *

"Diana." Kassandra sat on the woman's couch as she watched her enter her lavish hotel room, arms crossed and face blank. The woman sighed heavily at her expression already knowing that the girl was not there for a friendly visit.

"How did you get in here?" She asked although she already knew the answer. Growing up without a stable home caused a person to develop some very special talents. She had been out all day and momentarily wondered how long she had been waiting for her.

"I know how to pick a lock, Di." Kassandra replied as she unfolded her arms. Diana appeared tired as she noted the dark circles around her eyes. They stood out as she was accustomed to seeing a usually flawless complexion. The woman was up to something these days and she had a sneaking suspicion that it had something to do with Bruce. "Mind telling me how Bruce Wayne knew where I would be this morning?"

"He did?" Diana asked in an attempt to seem surprised as she took her heels off and placed them into her closet. She avoided the redhead's gaze as she hung up her coat.

"Cut the crap. He told me it was you," Kassandra replied in annoyance. Diana cursed under her breath. She hadn't thought he would do such a stupid thing. She had thought that at the very least he would have the decency to keep the name of his informant out of the conversation. The fact that Diana and Kassandra were friends didn't mean that they approved of their privacy being invaded.

"I'm worried about you, okay?" She sighed deeply. "You need to be safe."

"And you trust a bat that goes around branding people to do so?" Kassandra shot back bitterly. Diana stood shocked at her outburst, unaware that she had even figured out the man's true identity.

"Yes, I know. I'm not as stupid as you all apparently assume I am. I am not that naive little girl who you met ten years ago," Kassandra found the fact everyone assumed she was naive irksome. Just because she didn't use her powers to fight some sort of evil did not mean she lacked intelligence or knowledge on what happened around her. She had not asked to be a metahuman, and she was found that their expectations were intolerable." How can you trust him?"

"The same way you apparently seem to trust Luthor," the woman replied calmly. Kassandra rolled her eyes at her response.

"Trust is a very strong word. He's not as bad as he appears to be. I can feel it," she replied with a sigh. Diana shook her head in frustration at her simple explanation. It seemed as if the younger woman wasn't grasping the severity of involving herself with someone like him. "He has sadness in his eyes."

"You can't honestly think that just because some psychotic man may share similar demons that it's a good idea to run into his arms. You _know_ better. He's dangerous, Kass. "

"And Bruce Wayne isn't? Look at what he did to Ivy! Have you even gone to see her?" Kassandra exclaimed as she referenced her friend. Pamela Lillian Isley, most commonly known as Poison Ivy, now took up residence in Gotham's Arkham Asylum after a confrontation with Batman. Kassandra and Ivy had developed a bond over the relationship they had to nature. Kassandra respected her love for plants just as Ivy respected hers for animals. They were always a harmonious duo and she had introduced her to Diana years before. The three women all held a level of respect towards each other as they had all seemed to possess a sense of justice, although Diana's was much more significant. Kassandra had been livid when she found out her friend had been thrown into the awful psychiatric ward. She herself had been out of town while touring, but she had expected Diana to have done something. Diana frowned at the reminder.

"She was out of control. He did what he had to,"she replied blankly. Kassandra groaned at her insistence on justice between people. She knew Ivy. She would not harm anyone unless she thought they actually deserved it. She found it unnerving that Diana could simply choose the law over someone she claimed to have cared about at a time.

"She is our friend," Kassandra said through gritted teeth. Diana crossed her arms as she looked at the young woman and couldn't help but pity her. She placed too much importance on sentimental things- something that would surely end in heartbreak.

"She _was_ my friend. Now she's nothing but a criminal." Kassandra frowned at her words. "That's why I need you to stay away from Lex. I need to save you from doing damage to yourself. I couldn't save you when you were youn-"

"Stop acting like I need saving," Kassandra interrupted through clenched teeth as anger threatened to overtake her. Diana was taken aback by her cold tone. Kassandra had always been patient, playful even when dealing with things that frustrated her. She would attempt to place humor in things that would be anything but funny as a way to save herself some irritation. The sudden seriousness in her voice was unsettling. She watched as the girl stood up, graceful as ever, and strode to her door.

"Maybe you should have stuck to saving the world," her voice was void of all emotion as she shut the door behind her, leaving Diana alone in silence.

* * *

 _A/N: I apologize for the shortness of the chapter. Thank you for the reviews and support you have given this story! It really does bring me a sense of joy to know you enjoy it._


	5. Chapter 5

Kassandra had been out for her morning jog and she could feel her muscles ache as she turned back onto the road that would ultimately lead her home. It was a morning ritual she kept in order to help reduce stress, something she found she had a lot of since her return home. She enjoyed the sensation that clouded her mind during the exercise in which she would focus solely on the ache in her legs and the rhythm of her heart against her chest. It was her much needed form of escapism.

It had been two weeks since her meetings with both Luthor and Wayne and she was relieved to find that Lex hadn't bothered to attempt to persuade her to reconsider. Bruce Wayne had called her various times in an effort to offer her a place in his company but she had politely refused the first time and let the phone calls go unanswered afterwards. She enjoyed the quiet serenity that seemed to fill her days without having to deal with them. The only others who occupied her time were Diana and Sasha. Diana had seemed much more tense after their encounter at her apartment but forced small talk whenever they ran into each other at the coffee shop. Sasha on the other hand kept her mind awake with invigorating conversations. Despite the common misconception that animals lacked intelligence, Sasha seemed to be very perceptive of her surroundings.

Kassandra's heart dropped as she noticed that the sky had turned a grey color and soon realized that it was smoke that had clouded over the sun. She ran faster as worry overcame her. Her home was the only one around for a bit of a stretch and she feared the worst. She skidded to a halt in front of her home and watched as it was consumed in flames. Her once beige home was now painted with red and oranges as the fire grew larger, consuming everything it could. Raging flames were spilling out of her door and windows, filling the sky with ashes. Her heartbeat quickened as she ran around the house, coughing as the smoke that drifted out of the windows entered her lungs.

"Sasha!" She called out as she frantically searched for the tigress in the backyard. She could feel sweat drip down her forehead as the heat behind her intensified. She coughed louder as she searched around, scanning the trees that lined her fence.

She had left the tigress sunbathing that morning and she only hoped she had had the sense to run away once the flames had erupted. She called out for the tigress once more, making her way towards the stone dome that sheltered the tigress at night. It appeared to be empty but she caught sight of something that looked out of place against the smooth stone. She glared as she looked at the small business card that had somehow made its way into the tigress's den.

She angrily picked it up unaware that the fire had begun to spread through the grass and was now headed in her direction.

"Miss! Miss you can't be here!" A fireman shouted as he threw her over her shoulder. She was startled at the sudden movement. She had failed to realize that the firefighters had arrived during her search for her friend. She watched the flames circle around the place she had been standing just moments before as the man carried her out towards the road. There she could see as they doused her home in water in an attempt to put out the flames. The fireman insisted that the paramedics check her and she reluctantly agreed while watching her home burn to pieces.

* * *

Kassandra Lorn stormed through LexCorp ignoring every glance thrown her way. She was fuming, her eyes ablaze with a fierceness that caused the interns to run out of the elevator as soon as it opened. She strode towards the conference room that the receptionist had informed her would be occupied by the man she was seeking, only to have Mercy appear in front of her.

"You can't go in. Mr. Luthor is in a meeting," she protested as she stood blocking the door. Kassandra ignored her protests and simply threw her aside ruthlessly as she opened the door with a bang. Inside sat Lex with two men who both jumped up startled at her sudden entrance. Lex on the other hand didn't even flinch.

"Ah, Kassandra! I was just telling them about how excited you were to be joining LexCorp," Lex said cheerily as he stood and walked over to her. The men eyed her warily as her facial expression remained serious with her eyes locked solely on the company's owner. She roughly grabbed Lex's arm and began to tow him away towards his office.

"Ah, so eager to start! I'll see you two gentleman next week," Lex called out as Kassandra closed the door behind her, throwing Lex inside. He stumbled back at her brute force.

"You know," he began as he straightened himself up before walking over to take a seat at his desk, "you would think that one would treat their boss better."

" _Where is she_?" Kassandra growled as she slammed her hands onto his desk, her eyes filled with so much vehemence that was enough to unsettle him for just a second before a small smirk graced his lips.

"Who?" He asked as he pretended to be unaware of what she was talking about. Her eyes narrowed as she threw the business card that had been left at her home onto his desk. He looked down to see his own name printed neatly across it. His smirk grew as he picked it up and ran a finger over the gloss coating.

"Hmm... I really do need to stop leaving these everywhere. Who knows where they all end up," he chuckled as he crumpled up the card and shot it into his basket. He returned his gaze towards the woman in front of him and his smile became smug as he took in her appearance. "Did something happen during your morning run, Miss Lorn?"

Kassandra was still dressed in her work out clothes that consisted of leggings and a tank top which were much different than the flowy dresses he had normally seen her in. Her hair was unruly as her ponytail was now at the side of her neck and her face bare of makeup. She reeked of smoke and Lex could see the faint taint of ashes along her arms. Her lips pulled back in a snarl at his taunting.

Mercy barged in to the room with a security guard who immediately surveyed the current situation. Kassandra was still hunched menacingly over Lex's desk as she refused to allow her gaze to shift towards anything else. The man made a move towards Kassandra before Lex raised a hand to stop him.

"We're fine here," he assured, motioning for them to leave. Mercy frowned at the dismissal as she already stemmed a disliking for the woman due to the violence she had displayed earlier. Lex shot her a look as he noticed her hesitance and she sighed but obliged and followed the man out.

" _Where is she?_ ," Kassandra asked again through clenched teeth. Lex took notice of the fierceness she held in her eyes and blinked when they turned gold momentarily- something so brief that he surely would have missed it if he had looked elsewhere. The color was gone within a second, replaced with her usual green eyes that held a savagery that pleased him. She had always seemed to be kept together when he tried his best to intimidate her and the look reminded him that everyone had their breaking points. Everyone, no matter how good, had some part of them that fostered anger, violence, and evil.

"She's safe," he replied with a twitch of his lips. Her eyes searched his desperately in an attempt to find the truth and she let out a deep sigh when she concluded that he had been honest in his reply. Lex watched in bewilderment as her demeanor immediately changed as she took a seat across from him. Kassandra ran a hand over her hair, releasing it of its tie as she shook her mane out to frame her face. She slumped in the seat looking exhausted, a slight sheen of sweat giving her a small glow. Lex felt a hint of annoyance that even on her worst day she managed to be a prepossessing sight.

"I'll play your game," she finally said after staring mindlessly at his marble floor. She had remained quiet for so long that Lex had begun to think the woman had gone into shock or was being childish and attempting to give him the silent treatment. Her sudden acceptance to _play_ was surprising. What had been more unexpected was the lack of bitterness in her voice. "When do I start?"

"Tomorrow," Lex replied, unsure of how to react to the woman's sudden lack of fight. She had stormed into his meeting with such ferociousness that she herself could have been the tigress she was seeking. A cough escaped her throat and Lex found himself wondering if the woman had actually dared to run into the flames, although it was something he wouldn't put past her.

"Giving up so easily? I thought you would be more fun," Lex admitted with a slight pout at her compliance. He was happy nonetheless to know that she would join his side even if by force. "Is it because you've finally realized that my threats are much more _real_ than you had anticipated?"

Kassandra let out a small laugh that mirrored the melodic nature of her singing. She shook her hair, grimacing at the smell of smoke that had seemed to penetrate it before gracing Lex with an answer.

"Because, Mr. Luthor, for some _absurd_ reason I like you." The answer was unexpected to say the least. He had expected anything else; that she hated him, that she feared him, that she finally understood that he was the one who ran the city. Never had anyone admitted to even enjoying his company, much less _liking_ him. "And maybe it's my animal instincts failing me as I allow myself to go running into the mouth of the lion. Or perhaps it is just the simple fact that broken children recognize other broken children."

She watched as Lex struggled to keep his composure at her revelation, his eyes shifting anywhere but her as he attempted to understand what had just left her mouth. He was sure that he had kept his life a secret and she couldn't possibly know what she was speaking about. She was fishing - attempting to rile him up just as he had done to her. She looked away as to allow him to compose himself and was not surprised at the nervous laughter that slipped from his mouth.

"I can assure you that you have no clue what you're talking about," he replied with a dark chuckle. She dismissed his reply, not wanting to dote on the matter, and instead moved on to the subject of her now nonexistent home.

"You burned my home to the ground but not before making sure the one thing I truly cared about was safe," she paused as if considering her words carefully. "Thank you."

"You're thanking me for burning your house down?" Lex asked in all seriousness. The woman was ludicrous. Everything that came out of her mouth seemed to be unexpected and he disliked not being able to read her. Her reactions aggravated him as they didn't allow him to feel as if he truly had the upper hand. Her incessant need to somehow find something good in his actions caused a ripple of exasperation to course through him. He was well aware that he was not necessarily a _good_ person. And being _not good_ was all he knew how to be.

"I'm thanking you for making sure Sasha was safe. I can live without material things." It was perhaps the first time that Lex Luthor found himself wondering whether he had gone a step too far when he had ordered to have her routines monitored in order to burn her home to the ground. It seemed as though simply taking the tigress would have sufficed after all.

She stood, straightening her shirt out in such a way that caused ashes to fall to his floor. She smiled childishly at the sight as a feeling of enjoyment accompanied seeing his own place of dwelling receive some sort of reminder of what hers had become. "Well, Mr. Luthor, if that's all-"

"Ah, there's actually one more thing," he interrupted. "Seeing as you have no place to go, I must insist that you take residence in my home."

"I can stay at my friend's-" Kassandra felt slight panic at the thought of sharing a household with the man although it quickly washed away and was instead replaced with worry about being an inconvenience to him.

"Diana Prince? The woman despises me. Surely you can understand that as my new employee, I do not want her placing ridiculous ideas into your head." Lex needed to keep a close eye on Kassandra in order to ensure that loyalty would stem from her. He needed her on his side if things were to go the way he had planned. He had heard about her little run in with Bruce Wayne and had felt satisfaction upon learning that she had rejected his proposal as well. It was obvious that there was a competition between the two men and Kassandra Lorn was the unsuspecting prize at the end. Kassandra frowned at his demand but knew he was right. She would be better off dead once Diana learned that she had allowed herself to be played into the hands of Lex Luthor. She could practically hear the woman's scolding already.

"Then I'll stay at a hotel." It would be much more convenient for her to rent out a room. She would have her privacy and freedom to come and go as she pleased without one of Luthor's men keeping an eye on her at all times.

"You have no money."

Kassandra frowned at his statement as she knew well that she had accumulated more than enough she would ever need in her lifetime. Her career had gained her a healthy surplus of money- more than she could ever admit to anyone. She disliked looking at the numbers on her bank account but the amount was always enough to supply for her needs.

"What do you mean I have no money? I have tons. I don't nee-"

"All of your bank cards were burned in the fire. It'll take at least a week to replace them. You have no choice." Lex's smirk was triumphant as he watched her face fall in realization that he had made a significant point.

Kassandra sighed deeply as she pinched the bridge of her nose. She had nothing left.

"And my clothes? Do you expect me to wear this filthy mess for the rest of the week?" She asked as it dawned on her that clothing was indeed flammable and most likely would all be nothing but a pile of ashes by now. Lex let out an amused chuckle at the obvious disdain she held towards the type of clothing she was currently in. She was a metahuman, she was irritating, she was unusually playful, but she was a _woman_ after all.

"Go shopping," Lex replied as he pulled his wallet out and retrieved a card with his long fingers. "On me," he smirked as she snatched the card out of his grasp, stopping to observe the white lettering that read LexCorp across it. It was the company card that held a generous amount of funds.

"I'll make you go broke," she threatened with a smirk. The playful sparkle returned to her eye as she waved the card around tauntingly.

"I highly doubt it."

* * *

 _A/N: Thank you so much for your support! I enjoy writing this maybe a little too much but it's always nice to hear that someone is enjoying it. Again, thank you for taking time out of your day to read this_


	6. Chapter 6

Kassandra had picked her way into Diana's room once more in order to clean herself up after what had been a truly exhausting morning. She took the opportunity to shower and had scrubbed her skin raw in an effort to rid herself of the smell of smoke. Once she was satisfied she'd stolen a pair of skintight jeans and a burgundy t-shirt from the woman's closet. She wouldn't miss them- at least she hoped she wouldn't considering the vast array of tight dresses the woman owned and wore regularly.

Lex had told her to shop and that's exactly what she had done. She splurged on clothing she normally would've returned to the rack upon seeing the tag and did so happily. What had begun as a shopping trip out of spite ended up as a therapeutic shopping spree as she found her fowl mood growing smaller every time she swiped his card.

She decided that this was the least Lex could do after so unceremoniously doing away with her belongings. The man craved power, that much was obvious. She thought about how odd it was that such a young eccentric man was already so full of negativity but the world was a cruel place and she had no doubts that its cold ways had been the reason for his transformation. How one perceived their misfortunes had a way of influencing the type of person you would become and it saddened her to know that Lex had chosen the darker path. She decided then and there that she would get the good out of Lex, no matter how small the ray of light may be.

Kassandra stopped outside of the Metropolis animal shelter as she finished up her shopping. Her arms were beginning to ache from weight of the abundance of shopping bags that hung from them. She thought of Sasha as she looked at the painted portrait of kittens and puppies that adorned the window and a pang of sadness hit her at the loss of her friend. Lex had assured her that she was safe and she believed him, although she hoped that he had placed her in some sort of tiger sanctuary so that she wouldn't feel so alone. Sasha, just like she, was good at being independent but that didn't mean they didn't long for company every so often. Kassandra determinedly walked into the animal shelter only to reappear minutes later with a smile on her face.

Happy with herself, she hailed a cab and began her departure to her temporary home.

* * *

Lex Luthor had arrived home late that night and had almost walked past Kassandra's sleeping form if it weren't for the colorful array of shopping bags she had strewn onto his living room floor. The colors had caught his eye as he surveyed the great amount of shopping she had done. He recognized various logos that belonged to high end boutiques and stores. Although he was sure she hadn't in fact made him broke, she looked as if she had successfully managed to leave a dent in his bank account. He grinned at the way she had inelegantly made herself at home on his couch, hugging one of the decorative pillows in her sleep. He had ordered a guest room to be prepared for her but he assumed that she must have fallen asleep before she could be directed towards it. He shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled a candy from it before he quickly popped it into his mouth. He swirled the hard candy around his mouth as he stared at the young woman.

He had half expected her to run for the hills after what he had done although she didn't seem the type to flee from confrontation. She wasn't intimidated by him and although that caused him great irritation it also proved that she would make a valuable asset in the business world. He had already informed the company board that she would be joining them and they had been ecstatic about her arrival. Kassandra Lorn, it seemed, was a very widely loved household name nowadays. He had made a mental note to keep an eye on the entertainment scene a little more often seeing as this girl had taken him by surprise.

He had been quite taken with her the night they met but Lex never bothered to dote on such trivial things such as romantic relationships. Loving someone meant weakness . It only gave your enemies something they could use against you. It was something he had taken measures to ensure would never happen. Lex himself found himself unlovable anyways. Who could possibly want to be with him after they discovered who he truly was behind the charming business owner facade.

And yet here this girl lay comfortably in his house as if he were a friend who was only lending his sofa to her in her time of need. Because she was a _girl._ She was young, only twenty-four in age. Lex contributed her apparent naivety to be directly correlated to it, although he himself was only a few years older. The world had made him stronger. It had stripped his childhood from him and made him into a man of deviance and although he sometimes resented it, he admitted it was what caused him to build his company up so high. _She_ on the other hand had a normal childhood for the most part, or so he assumed. There had been misfortune to plague her but it was the same that had affected various others. Or at least that's what he had managed to gather.

Her carelessness in her sleeping arrangement showed that she felt there was no threat in this house. It was a strange feeling for Lex. He was so accustomed to being feared that he had never stopped to wonder how it would feel to actually have company around. Sure, he had thrown parties but everyone had left at the end of the night and he wouldn't see them until he threw another soirée . The closest thing he had to a friend was Mercy, but even then he didn't count her as one. She was a loyal servant to his cause, one who he had already sacrificed in his mind.

A series of whimpers broke his train of thought, the small cries startling him. He looked around as he focused on where the noise was originating from. His eyebrows furrowed as he realized that it had been Kassandra. He watched as she continued to whimper as her face contorted into a look of what could only be described as pain. He hesitantly made his way towards her as her cries grew louder. He stood above her unsure of what to do in the situation. He recognized the pain. It was something that he himself still dealt with when it came time to sleep. It could only be originating from deep inside of her where some sort of dark memory had taken hold of her peaceful sleep. He felt his heart ache as her beautiful features were overcome by the fear she felt. He hesitantly reached his hand down towards her face as he noticed the tears that had begun to stream down her cheeks. He stopped, unsure of what he meant to do when he woke her, and instead pulled his hand back. Her whimpers continued and he found himself taking steps backward in an attempt to place distance between himself and the crying girl. He turned and left with a frown. What had he meant to do? Comfort her? He shook the thought away. It was not his job to babysit her.

* * *

"Are you seriously still asleep? It's noon," Lex asked incredulously as he noticed Kassandra's figure still remained on his couch. The staff had taken her bags to her guest room but had been unsuccessful in waking the woman earlier. He rolled his eyes when there was no response from her and instead walked closer and raised his voice a little louder. She stirred at his voice when he called out to her again.

"Five more minutes," she groaned as she stubbornly held onto the pillow. She refused to even open her eyes as her body still felt heavy with exhaustion despite sleeping for at least twelve hours.

"You have work to do," he reminded her. He had already made a list of people he needed her to use her influence over. If what she said was true, that _influence was power_ , then she would have no problems with what he had decided to assign to her. She needed to prove her worth to the company, and prove to Lex that she was worth his time and effort.

"Just five minutes," she whined in a small voice as she turned away from him in an effort to get away from the voice that was disrupting her sleep.

"You are...," he began. He could think of various adjectives to describe her at the moment; frustrating, sluggish, irritating, immature. "...a child," he decided as he crossed his arms. His accusation managed to rustle up a reaction from her as she finally sat up with a raised eyebrow, her green eyes meeting his own blue ones.

"Says the man who carries jolly ranchers in his pockets," she replied in amusement. He waved her comment away although he struggled to keep his face straight. The humor in her eyes and grin was lighthearted and not intended to insult. He had to admit that she made a point although he wondered how she had already figured out his sugar habit. She had been watching him more keenly than he had expected.

"Get up and get ready. We leave in thirty minutes."

Kassandra watched as he walked away without another word and rolled her eyes at his demanding. She yawned before asking one of the maids to instruct her to her room which she found delightfully bigger than she had expected. The idea of a small guest room seemed absurd after she considered the size of the house in general. It seemed as though Lex Luthor was quite fond of luxuries if she recalled the impressive collection of cars and motorcycles she had passed on her way in. She made quick work in showering and doing her makeup before there was knocking on her door. Lex let himself in without waiting for her to say she was decent, an action that irritated her slightly.

"I would like to get to work before nightfall, Miss Lorn," he teased with a small smirk as he eyed her.

"You could have left without me. And don't call me that."

"You don't drive, _Kassie_."

Kassandra raised an eyebrow. She hadn't been called that since she was merely a child.

"I would have found my way."

"I couldn't take the risk of you running off," he replied as he began to rummage through the shopping bags that sat on her bed. She had already dressed, picking out a short coral dress that felt comfortable against her skin. She raised an eyebrow at his digging but said nothing. She repressed a laugh when he had picked out a piece of lace, a confused look on his face before he realized that he had picked through her undergarments. She watched as as slight red tinge graced his cheeks briefly before he stood back and looked over the pile of clothing that was now formed on the mattress.

"You are quite possibly the most feminine woman I have ever met," he commented as he looked at the array of pastel colors and fragile fabrics. He was used to seeing business women dressed up in suits of dark colors and the clothing in front of him was a stark contrast to that. She shrugged as she slipped her sandals on, her pink toenails showing. "I'm not sure if looking like a fairy will assert your place in the business world."

Kassandra frowned at his comment. The fact that women were viewed as weak in any aspect of business had always bothered her greatly. She would be damned if she had to dress in stiff suits in order to be taken seriously.

"If you're trying to suggest I wear something more _appropriate_ then you can find someone else to work for you. I demand the respect I deserve and dressing like a _fairy_ doesn't change that," she replied with a dismissive wave. "I've never understood why men associate femininity with weakness when women are anything but that."

"Men believe that women are fragile. Soft. They see that as a horrible trait to hold because it means you are easily broken." Lex was surprised that he had bothered to answer her at all. He himself was split on the idea. He knew women were strong. They were the givers of life after all. But he saw allowing softness in your heart as a weakness.

"To be soft is to be powerful, Lex. If the men you expect me to do business with expect me to turn into a frigid old woman just to please them, well, they can go fuck themselves."

Lex grinned at her lewd choice of words. It was refreshing to see someone speak their mind so effortlessly instead of treading carefully in fear of upsetting him. Although their beliefs differed greatly, he found himself to respect the earnestness with which she held them. With her confident attitude he would shape her into a fine business woman in no time.

* * *

Lex walked into the conference room Mercy had informed him Kassandra had taken residence in for the past hours. She sat with her back towards the door as she watched the tv on the wall, completely unaware that he had walked in. He had given her the list of things to do and had left her to do whatever she seemed fit in order to get things done. Perhaps he had given her _too much_ freedom.

"Well, I see you're using your time well," he said sarcastically as he looked towards what had captivated her attention. It was a news channel and he immediately recognized the footage they were passing. It was of her home as it burned to nothing with an alarming amount of smoke filling the sky. He frowned at the headline, **_Star's Home Consumed in Freak Fire_**. He felt just a hint of remorse as he saw the sadness that played onto her face as she relived it.

"We should turn this off," Lex suggested uncomfortably as he reached for the remote. He was startled when her hand shot out to grab it from his grasp.

"Wait."

He frowned but complied, looking towards the screen again. The headline had changed. He watched as the video showed Superman flying down and helping the firemen with every bit of righteousness he held. The fire was out in a matter of minutes.

"He went to help me," Kassandra mused as she watched the man on the television. She was no stranger to the man of steel. He was adored by most although there had been more and more people who called out to have some order to him. Many people would get injured in his various attempts to save others. Kassandra didn't think much about the man although he did remind her of Diana and her incessant need to do good. If he had the power to do good, then she was not opposed to him trying. She felt a tinge of sadness at missing her chance to meet the famed superhero. It must have happened while she was at LexCorp going off on Lex.

Lex frowned deeply as he was overcome with a feeling of repulsion. Of course Superman had shown up for her. She was _Kassandra Lorn._ She was another beloved figure. She was worth saving.

"Yes, well. Looks like he got there a little late, doesn't it?" He quipped as he turned the monitor off. Kassandra looked at him curiously and took notice of his sudden mood change.

"You hate him," she stated. He turned to her with raised eyebrows at her sudden declaration.

"Me hate Superman? Oh, but who could hate such a good, _pure_ being?" He let out a humorless laugh that only confirmed her suspicions.

"Yup. You hate him," she said with a sigh as she turned her chair back around. "Animals get tense, rigid, and on alert whenever they spot someone who is a threat to them. When prey spot predators. Or when competing predators spot each other even," she spoke evenly, no judgement showing in her voice.

"You're speaking about animals, Miss Lorn." His voice tensed at being compared to prey. He was not the prey. He was the _predator._

"We are all animals, Mr. Luthor. It just seems that we forget that fact sometimes," she said softly as she picked up the file that sat in front of her. She stood, her soft dress swaying as she did and gently placed a hand on his arm. It was a hesitant gesture as she was unsure how he would react to such physicality. He looked down at her delicate fingers with confusion. "I have work to do. I'll see you later, Lex." She gave him a gentle reassuring squeeze that left him reeling as she walked out of the room. He had never been touched so delicately and it surged a desperate feeling throughout him that longed for her touch again. He shook the feeling away and convinced himself that what he was feeling was nothing more than budding infatuation. The same sort her fans held for her. The kind that had no logic behind it, and would be best to simply forget about. So that's what he attempted to do as he continued to work throughout the day but he couldn't shake the fact that he could still feel the ghost of her fingers on him.

* * *

Kassandra watched from afar with curiosity as a respectable looking lady followed Lex into the study of his home. From her few days living at his mansion she had concluded that he didn't have many visitors and that he essentially kept to himself most of the time. The staff couldn't really tell her anything about him besides the fact that he enjoyed chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast and had a sweet tooth. Some of the staff seemed afraid when she asked them about Lex Luthor, refusing to say anything from fear of being fired. This had caused her to frown deeply as she realized that Lex held many secrets and she wasn't quite sure if she wanted to know what they were.

"Who was that?" She asked once the lady had left. Lex turned around in surprise at her voice as she walked into the study. No one dared to enter it. Not even his staff.

"That was someone very important yet very stupid," he replied with a condescending laugh. Kassandra folded her arms across her chest at his sense of superiority. Lex Luthor may practically own the city, but he was still just a man in her eyes.

"That's rude, Lex."

"Just because it's rude doesn't mean it's not true," he replied as he ushered her out and closed the door behind him. "You'll find that LexCorp has the success that it does because of the decisions I make."

"Which are?" He ignored her question and continued on with his ramble.

"You see, Kassie, the business world is full of sheep. Full of them. But in this world there are also wolves. And some of these sheep think that just because they gain a tiny bit of power, that just because they pulled themselves out of some rural town where they lived on a farm to a now more respectful place in life, that they can suddenly save themselves. Some even think that they can oppose the wolf. But you know animals. They're your forte, right? So tell me, Miss Lorn, what happens when you put a wolf and a sheep in a cage?"

"The wolf kills the sheep," she replied unsure of what he was trying to explain. She fidgeted with her jacket as he smirked devilishly at her answer, a hint of malice spreading into his voice as he continued on.

"Exactly right, Kassie. The wolf not only kills the sheep, but it eats it too. It takes that sheep and turns it into a meal that will help him grow bigger and stronger and allow him to keep the other sheep in check. And the death of that one sheep is a reminder to the others not to stray."

"But you can't just take what you want," Kassandra tried to explain. Lex shook his head, his hair swaying with the movement. He raised a finger to hush her.

"Ah, that's where you still don't seem to grasp it. You can _always_ take what you want," he replied as he tapped her nose. He towered over her short frame, something he decided he enjoyed as it gave him a sense of power. Her green eyes widened as he grew closer to her and she briefly felt her breath hitch at the sudden menacing gesture. "You're part of LexCorp now."

"But-"

"You are a wolf now, Kassie. I highly suggest you learn to act like one."

He strode out of the house with a confident smirk as he left Kassandra attempting to make sense of his sudden speech.

* * *

 _A/N: Thank you for your support! I'm still trying to figure out exactly what direction I want this to go but I'm excited nonetheless._

 _The quote "To be soft is to be powerful" is by Rupi Kaur and it is a quote I wholeheartedly agree with. Her poetry book Milk and Honey is definitely worth a read if you're interested._

 _Feel free to review/favorite/follow if your heart desires to._

 _Thank you!_


	7. Chapter 7

"Hello again Sasha."

Lex watched as the tigress approached him, the only thing separating them from each other a steel fence. The other tigers briefly glanced at him in interest before they returned to their normal activities. Lex had paid a substantial amount of money to the Central City zoo in order to have them take her on such short notice. He had paid even more money to ensure she only be fed the highest quality food and care. Lex Luthor knew to take care of his valuables, and the tigress was certainly one when it came to winning Kassandra Lorn's alliance. Sasha sat in front of him placing a paw against the fence in greeting.

"Kassandra sends her love," Lex told her with a small smirk. The tigress cocked her head at his words as if asking where she was. She missed her friend and although she was surrounded by others of her kind, they didn't share the same bond that she did with the woman.

Lex had paid an experienced sniper to shoot Sasha with a tranquilizer dart before setting the house ablaze. The tigress had been unconscious as they had moved her, unaware of what was happening to her home. She had woken in this zoo, and had been visited afterwards by Lex Luthor who explained how her home had gone up in flames and they had managed to get her out. Sasha herself had no idea that Lex was the one behind the incident in the first place. All she knew was that Kassandra now resided with him.

"Kassandra's been...busy." He felt a bit foolish speaking to the tigress as if she could reply but he had seen how Kassandra spoke to her. He was sure the animal was well capable of understanding his words.

"I have to admit that your owner," he started only to have her make a snorting noise at the word. "My apologies, your _friend,_ is really quite something. She's a whirlwind, and I'm not too sure I can manage her."

Sasha opened her mouth slightly and released a loud noise that sounded like an odd mixture of coughing and roaring. Lex was amused at her form of laughter. She shook her mane out afterwards as she finally composed herself. Kassandra being described as a whirlwind was exactly right.

"I'll be checking up on you every now and then. Please do behave yourself," he said with nod. The tigress softly roared at his words, and Lex took it as agreement. He walked past the zookeepers who had watched with great curiosity the exchange that had happened. They had never seen a tiger behave in such a way and the odd relationship between the two only added to the mystery that surrounded Lex Luthor.

* * *

"All in all, I think that investing into LexCorp is the smartest decision you could make. It'll bring you a hefty profit and get your name right along ours in making history with aerospace technology," Kassandra finished her slideshow with a confident smirk as she shut her presentation down. She had stayed up late with some of the interns from LexCorp who had been more than happy to help her prepare a presentation. They had thoroughly explained the products themselves and Kassandra had surprisingly caught on quickly. The two men in front of her exchanged glances as they considered her proposition.

"Miss Lorn," the older man began as he sat up straighter. "I have to admit I am a fairly big fan of yours. Your art is quite fascinating much like yourself. But I have to ask myself whether it would be wise to take advice regarding technology from someone who's career is not rooted in it."

"Sir, I can assure you that I would have never placed my reputation on the line for something I truly didn't believe in," she lied. Although she had seen the blueprints for what she was trying to sell, the man had a point. She had no clue whether it would work or not. But Kassandra refused to let that get in the way of what she was trying to accomplish. She was a performer after all and she had a job to do. "I've seen the draw up and the simulations. It's going to make a difference. I want to be a part of it, and surely business men such as yourself can see the potential."

"One question, Kassandra," the younger man interrupted. Kassandra shifted her focus to the man and noticed that he had been much more serious when considering her offer. Her charms had worked better on the older man who had fixed his gaze upon her during the entire presentation. "You are from Gotham, correct?"

"I was born there, yes," Kassandra replied with a smile plastered onto her face. It was a strained smile that she always seemed to resort to when the city was brought up.

"Then tell me why you have chosen LexCorp when rumor is that Wayne Enterprises was after you as well," he replied with an arch of his eyebrow. It had been known that she had been approached by Wayne Enterprises countless times now, but she never bothered to answer any phone calls. Instead she had allowed her voicemail inbox to fill until the calls stopped altogether when it had been publicly announced that she had partnered with LexCorp.

"I may have been born in Gotham, but they say that home is where the heart is. And I can assure you that my heart is most definitely in Metropolis."

* * *

"Are you absolutely _fucking_ _insane_?" Diana Prince hissed as she fell into step with her redheaded friend. Kassandra rolled her eyes at her words and continued to walk towards the coffee shop they had agreed to meet at. The air was crisp with the winter approaching and both women were covered in luxurious coats.

"Hello to you too, Di. I'm fine, thanks for asking," Kassandra replied sarcastically as she pulled the door open, allowing Diana to step into the warm shop first. Diana briefly scanned the room for any dangers or anyone who could be one of Luthor's men. She concluded there were none as the only other people in the shop were a couple of middle-school aged children.

"You are _not_ okay. You are living with that _monster,_ " she shot back as they both took their usual seats towards the back of the shop, hidden away from sight. Kassandra sighed heavily and leaned her head against her hand as she prepared herself for the woman's scolding. "Kass, this isn't a joke. He took Sasha."

"I know that," Kassandra snapped in annoyance. Lex had said Sasha was safe and she had no reason to believe otherwise at this point. She longed to see her friend but that time would come eventually.

"And yet you're still there! Honestly if I didn't know better I would think you actually wanted to be Lex's prisoner," Diana's expression fell as she noticed Kassandra's nonchalance at her current situation.

"He hasn't treated me like a prisoner," she replied with a shrug as her mind strayed to the man they were currently in disagreement over. She pictured him with that permanent smirk that he held throughout his days in an effort to cause people unease at his superiority. That same smirk that made interns fear for their jobs and made fellow business men wary of what he was actually doing with his funds. The same smirk that she had somehow managed to grow fond of in a matter of days. He was a complex human being but she had heard his cries in the middle of the night when her own nightmares had woken her.

"You can't trust him. Wayne says-"

"And since when does Bruce Wayne care about me? And since when do you listen to _men._ You used to call them foolish little boys who let their arrogance ruin the world," she reminded her with a raised eyebrow. She had no idea what Bruce Wayne wanted with her but she knew she wanted nothing to do with the man.

"Lex doesn't care about anyone, Kass. People are just pawns to him in his greater plan to destroy Superman," she replied with a hard look.

"Whoa, wait. Destroy Superman?" she asked as she sat up. Kassandra was well aware of the disdain Lex held for the man but she never imagined it would be to that degree. Many people were opposed to Superman but no one ever actually tried to do something about it.

"Bruce wants the same. They both won't listen to reason," Diana told her with a frustrated sigh.

"It sounds as if your man is just as fucked up as mine," Kassandra replied bitterly. She couldn't believe that Diana had the audacity to lecture her on Lex when Bruce Wayne was following the same path of destruction. It was hypocritical. Diana raised an eyebrow at the word _mine_ that she had used in reference towards Luthor. "You know as well as me that people are a mixture of good and evil. Lex has something in him. He just hasn't let it out in a while. Or maybe ever, actually."

"You can't save people, Kass."

"I think we established that a while ago."

* * *

Sleep evaded Lex for the night once again. He had not had a decent night's sleep since Superman had made himself known. His mere existence was enough to torment him during his dreams, often turning them into nightmares. The most common was a recurring dream where Lex found himself hanging off of a building by his mere hands. Next to him was a woman who hung on for dear life just as he did. Superman would appear then and choose to save the woman, allowing Lex's grip to finally give way and having him fall to his death. Superman always saved the woman. Not once did he ever save him. The look in Superman's eyes was one he was accustomed to receiving from his father throughout his childhood. It was a look that said he was not enough, and would never be enough.

Unable to sleep, and a part of him simply not wanting to sleep in fear of having that retched dream again, he stood and made his way out of his room. He turned down the hallway and paused at the guest room in which Kassandra was staying in. The door was halfway open and upon peering inside he knew she was not there. Her bed was unmade but the covers were thrown to one side in a manner that signaled she had gotten up in a hurry. He frowned as he turned back to look down the hallway and towards the balcony at the end. There he saw the moonlight reflect against red hair, revealing her in one of the chairs he had laid out.

"Couldn't sleep?" Lex asked as he joined her outside. She merely nodded as she continued to look out towards Metropolis, the city lights vivid against the night sky. The city looked far off as if another world of its own, and she and Lex were mere outsiders looking in.

"You must feel powerful here. Looking over your city this way," Kassandra commented softly as she looked at the LexCorp tower from a distance. It was the biggest building in the city and commanded attention from any corner you found yourself at.

"Yes, I suppose so," Lex hummed as he took a seat beside her. She sat in silk ivory pajamas, her red hair tied in a messy bun. Her eyes looked distant as she stared ahead and he couldn't help but notice the sadness they seemed to hold. It was wrong for something so beautiful to look so lost. "It's your city as well," he said as he stared at the city he had helped build. The city he had devoted countless years of his youth to. She shook her head slightly as she shifted her gaze towards him for a moment.

"No. That," she replied as she pointed away from Metropolis and towards a neighboring city. "is what _my_ city is supposed to be." Lex looked towards Gotham with mild interest. Gotham. Home of the bat, and hometown of Kassandra Lorn.

"That city of criminals and violence was supposed to be where I grew up. Where I was supposed to go to high school. Where I was supposed to have my first boyfriend and my first kiss," she said with a bitter laugh. "Look at me now. I'm homeless, stuck in between two cities while not belonging to either."

"The people of Metropolis are very fond of you. They welcome you with open arms," Lex replied with slight confusion. Kassandra of all people should be the last to feel such a way.

"They welcome me because they know me artistically. They love the theatrics, the animals, the loud blaring music in which they can drown their sorrows in and release their stress from a hard week. They love the idea of me. Everyone needs an escape and I just happen to be theirs," she explained. "I'm happy to provide that for them. But it gets lonely sometimes."

Lex nodded as he sat back into the plush chair. He would have never figured that such a playful, strong woman would feel such distance between herself and those who surrounded her. It reminded him of the way he felt. Everyone in Metropolis knew his name, knew of his success because it was blatantly staring at them at every corner. He had built hospitals, shelters, schools, and he had put them on the map when it came to scientific advances. Yet Lex felt hollow at the end of the night because he had no one to bask in his riches with. He had been completely content to do so by himself for a while, but the longer time went on the less satisfied he became. Just like Kassandra, he was lonely.

Kassandra sighed as she turned to face him, reaching her hand out to brush his hair away from his face. He watched her curiously as she did, wondering why she didn't hold disgust towards him after what he had done to her home and after practically holding her hostage in his home for over a week.

"What keeps you up at night? Is it the god in the sky?" she asked as she scrutinized his face. He felt himself deeply sigh at the mention of Superman. "What is it that happens in your dream?" Kassandra asked as she reached out to trace circles on his hand. He flinched against the touch, sinking in deeper into his chair in order to place distance between them. She frowned at his movement but said nothing.

"I'm hanging from a building." Lex surprised himself as he answered her question. "And in comes Superman. And he saves everyone but me. He never saves me." His eyes were closed as he recounted the dream to her. He could see the situation clear as day in his mind.

"Why do you need to be saved by him?"

Her question stumped him. He had never thought about why he needed to be saved by him. He just knew he resented him for the fact that he never did. He stared at her face as he attempted to come up with an answer that wouldn't reveal too much about himself but he came up empty.

"I have dreams too. Diana is the one who comes to save me, but she's always too late." She shared as she turned back to face the city, pulling her knees up to her chest in the process. Lex was relieved that she hadn't pressed on for an answer. He wouldn't have been able to give her one.

"Why Diana?" Lex asked out of curiosity. He was still unaware of the nature of their friendship and he was surprised to see Kassandra mention her so nonchalantly.

"She's protected me since I was young," she answered with a shrug.

"She's not that much older than you," Lex commented in an attempt to get some information out of her. Kassandra smirked at his comment.

"Oh but she acts like she's so _old,"_ she replied with a chuckle. She was well aware that Lex was digging for information and decided that poking fun at her friend's real age would do no harm. "She's a protector. It's just who she is."

"And what are you?"

"I guess a creator. Like you." He found himself slightly humbled at the statement. He was most definitely a creator, but he also had the tendency to break things along the way. "I'm starving." She stood and stretched, her mood instantly lifting at the thought of food. Lex was startled by her abrupt change in mood as she simply left their serious conversation behind. He found himself slightly grateful at the act because he was in a tired and vulnerable state; who knows what he would have spilled out at this point.

"It's two in the morning." Lex said incredulously. She laughed at the look he gave her, her white teeth catching his sight.

"So what? It's not like we're going to sleep any time soon," she replied as she offered Lex a hand. He eyed it for a moment before taking it. She lifted him up in one swift motion and he felt himself momentarily surprised at her strength. Now he understood how she had gotten through Mercy so effortlessly before. Kassandra led them down into the kitchen happily, skipping some of the way and humming a tune. Lex smirked at her childish ways. He took a seat at the kitchen counter as she rummaged through his refrigerator in search for food.

"We could just wait for the staff to get here in a few hours," he suggested as he watched her begin to pull various ingredients from the fridge.

"Nah. I can make us something," she replied dismissively as she opened up the candy pantry. She had discovered his candy stash during one of her midnight snack runs and had been delighted upon finding the variety of sweets. He raised an eyebrow at her familiarity with the kitchen's layout and wondered how often she frequented this part of the house.

He watched as she poured ingredients into a bowl and began to furiously whisk them together. His lips turned upward as flour flew at her face, covering her cheeks with the white powder. She continued on, and somewhere halfway through decided she wanted to be a food network host as she began to explain what she was doing with great enthusiasm. He let out a small chuckle as she pretended to speak to an invisible camera.

"And there we have it! Chocolate chip pancakes a la Kassandra. Let's see what our audience thinks today," she announced as she placed the stack of pancakes in front of Lex. She poured chocolate syrup over them before topping it off with a bit of whipped cream. Lex's stomach growled at the sight. He dug in as if he had been deprived of food for days and held back a moan at the taste. Kassandra smiled at the sight of his enjoyment before digging in with her own fork. The two ate quietly over the plate of pancakes.

Lex paused in between bites to observe her. Her eyes were bright again as she devoured the food she had prepared for them. He had never seen someone so at ease around him before and took the time to relish in the feeling. He decided that having her around wasn't so bad if it meant midnight snacks and talks where neither seemed to force information out of each other. If this was what friendship felt like then perhaps he wouldn't mind keeping her around at all.

"What did you put in these? They're so much better than the ones the staff makes," he commented as he took the last bite of the chocolaty treat.

"The secret ingredient is love," she replied with a smile as she placed the empty dish into the dishwasher. "Or a hint of vanilla. Your choice."

They both yawned as the food made them feel heavy. It wasn't long before they both trudged up to their rooms, bidding goodnight to each other. Kassandra shot him a sleepy grin which he returned with his signature smirk. They both fell into a peaceful sleep for the first time in weeks.

* * *

 _A/N: Again, thank you for the kind reviews and support!_


	8. Chapter 8

"And this is?" Lex asked as Kassandra strode up to him as he ate his dinner. She plopped a folder down next to him with loud slap.

"The contracts you asked me to acquire," she replied with a confident smirk. His disbelief was written all over his face as he placed his utensils down and took the folder into his hands. He opened it and Kassandra grinned as his eyes widened slightly in surprise at the signatures at the bottom.

"I've been trying to get their funding for months," he muttered to himself. Kassandra chuckled at his initial disbelief and the slight bit of resentment in his voice.

"I can be...very convincing," she purred as he continued to look through the paperwork. They had given her more money than he had originally asked for. Lex had money of course, but certain programs cost him more money in trial and errors than they produced actual profit. So he had made a list of the richest men in the city who would need convincing to invest, a challenge he was sure Kassandra would rise to. She had certainly proved him right. Lex was glad to see such a big figure being handed over to his own company.

 _Why spend mine when I can spend yours._

"It's so good to be home," Kassandra sighed as she took a seat beside him. His maid immediately went to fetch her dinner and she squealed delightedly at the sight. Lex watched her carefully, unsure if he had heard her correctly.

Had she really called this place her home? She'd only been a guest for a while but she had already made herself comfortable. That much was evident with Lex constantly stumbling over the shoes she left by the door and the random naps she'd take in the oddest places of the house. He had found her asleep in the middle of the courtyard just the other day. She slept on top of the fountain and a roll backwards would have sent her into the water. He was slightly puzzled at her choice of sleeping arrangements. He would hear her laughter throughout the house as she made conversation with anyone who would speak to her. He had to admit that he himself was amused by her personality. It was refreshing to meet someone so lively.

"I'm sorry, did you say home?" He asked with a playfulness. "Home is a place where one lives permanently, and well you're simply a guest," he pointed out.

"Well considering that it's been well over a week and my bank cards have yet to make their appearance," she said with a knowing look towards Lex. "I've come to the conclusion that you wish to keep me prisoner here. So I might as well make myself at home."

There was a silence between them as they stared each other down. Kassandra playfully lifted an eyebrow as if daring him to prove her wrong. He cleared his throat before reaching into his back pocket and producing a folded envelope that had been addressed to her. He stared at her, unashamed, and handed the beige envelope over. She chuckled as she took it from his hand, opening it up to reveal her new bank cards. She had called the bank earlier to question when she would receive them and they had informed her that they had been sent out days before and would have surely arrived by now. It didn't take her long to figure out in who's hands they had ended up.

Lex continued to eat as he knew what followed next. She would hurry to pack her bags and find a place to stay the night before making a call to the realtor to find a new home. His home would be empty once again, devoid of playful metahuman girls who liked to challenge his beliefs. In reality he should be relieved to have her gone. Kassandra was like a hurricane when it came to his home. There were shoes and chocolate wrappers everywhere despite how often the maids tried to clean up after her. It was frustrating to his staff although they had come to forgive her for her shenanigans time and time again as she'd laugh and apologize, often offering them a loud kiss on the cheek to show her good intentions.

"Do you want me to stay?" Kassandra asked with a bright smile as she set the cards back into the envelope. He was thrown off by the question.

"I-uh. What?" He asked as his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He watched as she placed the envelope into her back pocket. She was dressed in a pair of burgundy jeans with an olive peasant shirt, small flowers braided throughout her hair. She certainly stuck to her sense of style despite his suggestion of looking more professional. Then again, he was the last person who should be commenting on appropriate business attire considering the fact he wore graphic tees underneath his suit jackets.

"I'll stay if you want me to," she replied as she ate beside him. He was flustered by her proposal as he found it odd that she would be willing to stay. He mused over it as he chewed. He weighed out the pros and cons of having her in his home as a more permanent fixture.

"Yes. Yes," he replied with a decisive nod. She would be good for his environment. He decided that he needed some sort of companion and she had been surprisingly easy enough to get along with. She was independent when it came to her own ventures and he respected that. The last thing he needed was a damsel in distress in his home.

"Does that mean I can have Sasha back now?" She asked hesitantly. Lex looked her over, noticing the longing in her eyes at the thought of her tiger friend. It was clear that her concern for the tigress was probably the only reason she was willing to stay. He felt a bit used although he knew it made sense.

"No," he replied with a smirk, unwilling to give up the only thing he had over her. "It's not quite time for that yet."

* * *

'I thought you said she was smart," Bruce Wayne commented as he set down the copy of the Daily Planet that Diana had brought with her upon her visit. The front page held a photograph of LexCorp's newest billboard advertisement, a serious looking Kassandra Lorn standing next to some new invention the company was trying to market. Bruce had to admit that his rival was smart when it came to his marketing antics. You could never go wrong with a beautiful face.

"She is smart. She's just too trusting," Diana replied with a roll of her eyes.

"Too trusting cancels out her intelligence," Wayne replied as he offered her a drink. She took it gratefully and he stood surprised as she drank it all in nearly one chug. She had never accepted a drink before.

"Just because she has a warm heart doesn't mean she's not capable of holding her own," Diana defended although she herself was beginning to doubt her friend's sanity. Perhaps she had lived so long by herself that she was beginning to seek comfort in places she shouldn't. Diana had tried to keep her eye on her to the best of her abilities but the young woman was good at disappearing when she wanted to. There was only so much Diana could do besides offer her friendship.

"No, you metahumans are just _so_ capable," he replied, sarcasm dripping from his voice. She narrowed her eyes at his comment as she gave him a look of utter disbelief.

"For someone so intent on killing an innocent man, you sure hold yourself highly."

* * *

If Kassandra had ever been an honest woman, she had decided today was not the day for it. If she had been honest she would have let Diana know where she was headed that morning when her friend had called to see how she was doing. If she was honest she would have told Lex why she was out of his house before breakfast was even served.

Today was not the day for honesty.

A loud buzz rang through the hall as the gate was opened. She quickly walked in, making sure to ignore the wolf whistles and lewd comments as she walked down towards her destination. She finally stopped at the last cell, turning to look at the woman who sat waiting for her.

"Ivy," Kassandra breathed as she took in her old friend. Her hair was still vividly red, her sleek body covered in an orange jumpsuit that seemed better suited for a prison than a psychiatric hospital. Then again, this was Arkham they were in. It was just as bad as a prison, if not worse. Being in such a place left her feeling on edge.

"Little Kass," Ivy replied with a genuine smile as she stood from her bed. "It's been a while."

"I got back a few weeks ago. I'm sorry I didn't come sooner," Kassandra apologized as the woman pulled up a chair inside her cell. She sat as close to the bars as she could as she watched Kassandra with amusement. Kassandra noticed that her cell seemed to be completely bare and frowned at the lack of comfort. Her friend did not deserve to be in such a place.

"You've been busy," Ivy replied with a knowing smirk. The young woman's eyebrows furrowed at her words. It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

"Yeah, I'm-"

"Working with Lex Luthor. I've heard," Ivy replied as she leaned against the back of her chair. "News travels quickly. Even in these walls."

Kassandra stood speechless. She had never thought that such news would reach inside of these walls. She wondered if she had been doing the right thing if a place full of insane criminals found her actions to be interesting. The rest of the hallway had quieted and it wasn't until then that she realized that the men who lived in the other cells were listening intently to their conversation. It was not every day that Arkham had themselves a celebrity visitor.

The guards watched her from afar. Kassandra and Ivy looked as if they could be sisters, with fair skin and red hair although different shades of vibrancy. They were all puzzled at the fact that someone of her class would come down to visit someone was had been classified as mentally insane. Already a guard had run off to call the local newspaper and there would be paparazzi waiting to snap her picture on her way out of the building.

"You're wondering if you're doing the right thing," Ivy mused as she sat up straighter. "Let me guess, sweet old Diana disagrees with your decision?" Kassandra nodded in response and Ivy let out an unamused sigh. "Diana does what is right. She thinks with her head. She lets it control all matters. But you, my sweet Kass, are ruled by your heart." Ivy stood and extended a hand out to her through the cell bars. Kassandra stepped forward and took it as Ivy gave her a comforting squeeze. "Just because a decision is made by your heart does not mean it is wrong."

Ivy watched her young friend relax at her assurance. It was obvious the girl had doubted herself even if it was for a mere second. One second of doubt was enough to ruin people and Ivy knew better than to allow her friend to self destruct in such a manner. Kassandra nodded in thanks before pulling her hand back to rummage through her bag.

"I brought you this," she said happily as she took out a small potted plant that she had thrown into her bag. The staff had been unsure of whether to allow it through but decided it would do no harm after they had thoroughly passed it through all sorts of scanners. Ivy's face lit up at the sight of one of her children before taking the small pot. It really was miniature, small enough to fit through the bars, but it was a plant and brought her a sense of home she had not had since being thrown into Arkham. "I'll find a way to get you out of here," she said as she looked around. The place was heavily guarded and she was sure she would have to think of something extremely elaborate to do so.

"Don't worry about me, sweat pea. I already have that covered," Ivy replied with a wink. Kassandra laughed. Of course the woman already had a plan. "Get out of here. A pretty face like yours doesn't belong in a place like this," Ivy replied with a grin. The young woman shook her head at her comment but did as she was told, turning to walk back down the hall.

"Hey girlie," a voice called out after she had only taken a few steps. She stopped in front of the cell next to Ivy's, her eyes widening as she realized who had called out to her.

"I heard you're working with big ol' Lex. Lex, Lex, Lex. You really think you're safe?" He asked with a smack of his lips. Kassandra stared at him as he flicked his tongue over them. His face was clean of the paint he usually wore but his scars were unmistakable.

"Leave her alone, Jack," Ivy ordered through the wall. The Joker roared at her words.

"Don't call me that, _Pamela._ " His voiced had deepened in hatred and the mere sound was enough to send a shiver down Kassandra's spine. He turned back towards her with a wicked grin. "Look princess, you won't survive. The bat will come for you."

Kassandra raised an eyebrow. "I haven't done anything wrong." She noticed that unlike Ivy, his hands and feet were chained to the wall. An obvious safety measure that the people who ran this place thought would be enough. The Joker laughed at her reply and she finally understood the infamous tales she had heard. His laugh was chilling as it bounced off the walls and would certainly haunt her for days.

"Look at who you live with," he chuckled. "Here's my card. In case you need anything," he laughed again as a card was flicked towards her feet. She quickly picked it up and hoped the guards hadn't noticed.

"This is just a joker card," she commented with amusement at his insanity as she briefly looked at it. He laughed again, his eyes crinkling as he threatened to fall off of his bed from the force of his laughter.

"You gotta look a little harder, princess." He chuckled before letting out a sigh. "Ah, look at you! The cute little metropolis princess making friends with the wrong crowd."

"Why would you help me?" She questioned, unsure of why the man would bother to offer his services.

"I do you a favor, you do me a favor. It's all business really," he replied with a nonchalant shrug.

"What happened to friends?" Kassandra asked playfully. The man in front of her lived up to his reputation. His presence was terrifying but true to his name, he loved to laugh. She figured it best to approach him the same way. Showing fear never made anything better.

"Mmmm, in due time. My friends...," he said with another smack of his lips. "are few." He laughed again, dismissing her with a wave of his hand. She quickly pushed the card into her pocket before striding out of Arkham, the Joker's laughter still ringing through its walls.

* * *

 _A/N: Thank you for the kind reviews so far and for the favorites/follows! I have the next chapter written out already so it won't be long until the next update._


	9. Chapter 9

Lex came upon Kassandra as she lay sunbathing in the courtyard. The young woman had a peaceful face as if she was asleep although her bobbing head gave her away as she listened to the music that played from her headphones. Lex smirked as he gently nudged her with his foot, causing her to open her eyes, startled at being touched after having laid for an hour undisturbed. She rolled her eyes when she took notice of who it was that had interrupted her peace, lifting up a hand in gun formation and making pop sounds as she pretended to shoot her intruder.

"Cute," Lex replied in slight amusement as he saw her close her eyes once again. He nudged her once more, causing her to sit up and pull the earpieces out with a huff.

"What is it Lex?" She asked in a bored tone. Kassandra had been enjoying a relaxing afternoon off from work and was not excited to see her boss interrupt what had been a pleasant day so far.

"It's time for dinner," he replied before turning back towards the house without bothering to wait for her. Her eyes lit up at the mention of food and she hurriedly followed behind him.

Kassandra frowned as she was seated on the opposite side of the dining table with Lex a good distance away. It was a vast stretch and Lex ate in silence as he usually did. He watched as she picked up her plate and walked down the table until taking the seat to his right. She flashed him a small smile as she dug into her food happily.

"Let's play a game," Lex suggested as he placed his fork down. Her ears perked up at the suggestion, once again confirming her childish habits. She looked at him with a spark of curiosity in her eyes.

"What kind of game?" She asked cautiously. She loved games, but she had a hunch that Lex wasn't the type to play fair.

"I ask you a question, you answer and ask me one back. The first person to refuse to answer loses," he explained with a smirk. She chewed her lip as she contemplated his proposal.

"Alright." He grinned at her acceptance. Lex could have simply used other methods to acquire the information he seeked, but he couldn't help but try to have some fun with her while he was at it.

"Why did you leave Gotham?"

"Everyone wants to leave Gotham," she replied as she chewed on her salad. Her reply was simplistic and although true, it wasn't enough to satisfy him.

"I'm asking you to be honest with me," he replied as he set his fork down. She continued to eat as her eyes glossed over at some distant memory, her gaze fixed on the vase of flowers that sat in the middle of the dining table. He observed as her chews became slower until ultimately swallowing and turning her head to look at him.

"I suppose I left to get a fresh start," she answered. There was no playfulness in her voice. The sincerity of her answer brought up more questions than it answered but he merely nodded in response.

"Is Mercy your best friend?" Kassandra asked as she referred to his assistant. Lex raised an eyebrow at the question, briefly wondering why she wanted to know that of all things. The thought of Mercy as a best friend was laughable.

"I don't have any friends," he replied with a shrug. He took a sip of his drink as he thought about what to ask her next. There were plenty of things that came to mind and he had difficulty narrowing it down.

"That's a lie." Kassandra stated with a subtle eye roll.

"How is it a lie?" Lex challenged.

"I'm your friend. Or at least _I_ consider you to be a friend, although I have no idea what I am to you," she replied honestly with a soft smile. He stared at her, feeling uneasy at her answer. The fact she considered him a friend after all he had done to her was alarming to anyone with a sane mind. She was either literally made of pure goodness or she was just a blind fool. Reflecting upon his beliefs, he decided it was the latter although deep down he knew the girl was too intelligent to be such a thing.

"It's your turn," she gently reminded as she took her last bite of food.

"Why do you consider me your friend?" He asked out of a mixture of curiosity and bewilderment. He could have asked many more important questions but had decided on this one as it dug into him deeply.

"I don't know," she replied with a shrug. "I feel comfortable with you and I enjoy your company. I know that you want me to fear you, but I look at you and I just can't feel that way. You're clever and you have an odd sense of humor that's refreshing. And well, I guess I just want to see you happy and always at your best. Isn't that what friendship is?"

Her answer left Lex stunned. Perhaps it was his lack of intimate social relations that left him wondering when the woman in front of him had gathered such warm feelings towards him. He stared at her, engraving the way her red hair waved against her face into his memory. Her eyes were soft with sincerity and her lips were slightly upturned into a small grin.

"I'm glad you don't fear me, although many people would say you're being unwise," he finally said with a clear of his throat. It was the first time he admitted it out loud.

"What do you consider me?" Kassandra asked. Her question didn't surprise him although he wished she would have asked another. Lex wasn't fond of having to deal with his feelings head on.

"You are... a very amusing housemate. I enjoy your company because you're very, how should I put this, eccentric? I admire your abilities. You're quite excellent in what you do," he replied with a small smirk. If he was being honest, he found that she was entering dangerous territory in his mind. The late night conversation and snack had left him feeling like a puppy of some sort, eager for her undivided attention. He was too proud to act on such things so instead he contented himself by simply hovering over her at work and starting conversations whenever he could. The past week he'd even ventured as far as inviting her out for some ice cream during their lunch break and her excitement for a sweet treat had been delightful. It really should have dawned on him sooner that what they were forming was in fact a friendship but he continued to deny it. She was the most interesting person he'd ever allowed himself to take an interest in. She let out a soft laugh at his answer.

"That's called a friend, Lex." The look she gave him was her typical playful one. It was one she often gave him when she found anything he said to be amusing. "But okay, I guess I'll take it. Your turn."

"Who did you visit on your trip to Arkham?"

Kassandra's smile wavered at his reference to the psychiatric hospital.

"How do you know I went to visit someone?" she asked with a small frown. She raked her mind and remembered the paparazzi that had been waiting for her and sighed. She knew those pictures of her leaving the place would come back to bite her but she had foolishly hoped that they wouldn't end up on Lex's desk.

"No, no," Lex said with a wag of his finger, "it's my turn to ask the questions. So tell me, who were you visiting?"

"A friend."

"That's not a good answer."

"But it's an honest one."

Lex frowned at her insistence and the fact that according to the rules of their game, she had given a sufficient answer.

"What is your friend's name?"

"Oh, no," Kassandra replied with a smirk. "I answered your question. It's my turn now." He pursed his lips but nodded.

"Why do you keep the study door locked?"

Lex's face turned blank at her question. It was the place he used when he sought power. When he sought to channel the strong business man that had been his father. It was the place he would go and drink hard liquor whenever he had a rough day and needed to make himself feel worse, when he needed to punish himself for stupid mistakes. It was something that would admit to weakness if he allowed her to know.

The truth was that he didn't want anyone to ruin the connection he held to his father through the room. It was a twisted thing to still need to have some sort of tie to a man who caused him so much pain, but if Lex was anything, he was surely twisted.

"No answer?" Kassandra asked with a quirk of her eyebrow. Lex simply stayed silent as he looked away from her. "Well then. Kassandra: 1. Lex: 0."

* * *

Lex was returning from a meeting with a very special man that afternoon in high spirits. The get together had gone outstandingly well and it pleased him to know his plans were coming together as he wanted them to. He parked his car in front of LexCorp as he usually did and had begun to make his way inside when he noticed something that caught his attention. A group of teenagers were huddled together outside of the door as if eagerly anticipating something.

"Can I help you?" Lex asked as he cleared his throat to announce his presence. The kids turned around with wide eyes as they realized they had been caught and Lex watched as their eyes nearly popped out of their heads as who it was that was speaking to them finally registered. There were small gasps of recognition from the fourteen year olds before one boy summoned up the courage to reply.

"We're so sorry Mr. Luthor. It's just, well, we heard that Kassandra Lorn works here now," the boy explained hopeful that the information had been correct.

"She does," Lex replied with a smirk at the fact the news had spread among Metropolis. Small shrieks of excitement came from the girls behind the boy at the confirmation.

"We were just hoping to catch a glimpse of her. Maybe get a picture or an autograph," one of the girls explained as she walked up towards Lex. Their excitement was evident at the hope of meeting Kassandra, who Lex assumed must have been their idol of some sort.

"I'm afraid she's not here right now. She's at a meeting across town," he informed them as he looked at his watch. They all sighed in disappointment and Lex couldn't help but chuckle at their disheartened state. They had obviously been waiting for quite a while in hopes of meeting the redhead and Lex couldn't blame them for their attempts to do so. "I'll tell you what. Now, I can't have you guys standing outside of my company because it's bad for business and overall just not safe for you kids to be out here on your own. If you give me your addresses I'll be sure to have Kassandra send an autograph your way."

Excited shrieks erupted once again as they all nodded in agreement before lining up to give him their addresses. Lex couldn't help but be amused at their energy and wondered how Kassandra managed to deal with these sorts of encounters on a daily basis. Although both famous, he was never met with this sort of excitement. He would have men come up, shake his hand, and thank him for what he had done for Metropolis. If these were the fans she had then he wondered why she didn't have some sort of security guard with her at all times.

"Mr. Luthor, can I ask you a question?"

"Hmm."

"Is it true that Kassandra Lorn is even prettier in real life?" the boy asked with shining admiration in his eyes.

"Kassie is quite beautiful, yes. And she's very charming," he replied with a smirk.

"You call her Kassie? Are you guys dating?" one of the girls asked with a gasp.

"Ah, I can't answer those types of questions," he said with a shake of his finger. "Kassie and I enjoy keeping our lives _private."_ His tone was playful and suggestive and hushed whispers immediately broke out between the kids. Lex watched them trying to decode what he had told them before the boy who had originally spoken hushed them.

"We'll go now. We're sorry for disrupting your business, Mr. Luthor," the kid said with an apologetic smile as he led the group away. Lex merely nodded in response as his ears perked up at their conversations as they walked away.

"He's so cool."

"They're _so_ dating."

"I heard they _live together_."

"They would look _so_ cute."

He rolled his eyes in amusement at their theories before making his way inside. He had technically told them the truth. They did enjoy keeping their lives private. Just separately. He knew that it wouldn't be a horrible thing if the public thought they were dating because they both held some sort of power to them. Lex didn't say anything without calculating its consequences beforehand. Being associated with her would only make him seem more likeable to the people of Metropolis who undoubtedly adored her. If they knew Kassandra had willingly entered into a relationship with him then they would accept him as a good guy, and that was something he desperately needed to be seen as in the upcoming months. He only cringed at the thought of Kassandra's reaction when she would hear of the rumor.

* * *

Kassandra had been napping when a hesitant knock on the door stirred her from her sleep. The door creaked as it opened and she could hear the shuffling of footsteps approaching. She sat up tiredly as she rubbed her eyes.

"Hey Lex. What's up?" She asked with a yawn. It was already the evening as the light from the sunset streamed into her room, bathing her in a golden light. He took a seat on the edge of her bed.

"When you said that broken children recognize broken children, what exactly did you mean?" he asked as he referred to what had been the conversation that had set them on this course. The comment had haunted Lex since they met and he had finally summoned up the will to ask her about it. She sighed heavily at the question.

"Who did you lose? Mom? Dad? Both?" She asked softly. He remained quiet, unable to look at her and unwilling to answer. She pulled her legs into her chest and rested her chin on her knees. "I lost my mom," she shared with sadness in her voice. Lex looked up at her revelation. He hadn't expected her to share.

"You lost your father too," Lex replied. She furrowed her eyebrows at his knowledge of her past.

"How do-"

"I make it my business to know who I keep around for company."

It was a thing that had caused Lex to grow a certain softness to her. They shared similar backgrounds when it came to their childhood and he couldn't help but feel that if there was anyone who understood him, it was her. Kassandra had heard rumors concerning Lex's past but never personally attempted to find out what the truth was. She believed that someone's past was something to be respected, and if someone wanted to share something then they would.

"My father wasn't a loss," she admitted after a long pause. Lex looked at her slightly surprised a her confession. Her red hair was disheveled from her tossing and turning during her sleep and the bags under her eyes were clear indicators of the tiredness she had felt recently.

"That makes two of us then."

There was a comfortable silence between them as a weight was lifted from their shoulders at the admittance of their indifference to the loss of their fathers. It was something that both had struggled with. They were expected to mourn, to miss them. But the two never held any positive recollections of the men who were supposed to build them up as children. It came as a relief to be able to admit that they didn't care. To be able to say so without feeling guilt or shame. It seemed as though they were good for each other in that way.

Kassandra let out a yawn as her eyes threatened to close once again. She rested her head on her knees as she looked at Lex sleepily.

"I should let you get back to your nap," Lex said as he stood. Kassandra reached out to stop him and grabbed his hand with her own.

"You look tired as well," she commented as she noticed the darkening circles underneath his eyes. He hadn't slept well in days and it was evident in his features. She patted the empty spot next to her in invitation. He contemplated what would come out of it. He would most likely not be able to sleep and would have to sneak away once she had fallen back into her slumber but he decided to indulge her request. Kicking off his shoes, he climbed into bed next to her. Kassandra pulled the blanket over them both and much to his surprise, proceeded to curl herself into his side. His body tensed momentarily at the sudden physical interaction but relaxed his muscles as she threw an arm over his stomach.

"Sometimes you just need someone there," she said softly as she let her eyes drift closed. Lex hesitantly placed an arm around her as he pulled the blanket to cover her bare shoulders. He would stay for a while. Just until she fell asleep.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Kassandra Lorn - Heart of Metropolis**_

 _ **by: Clark Kent**_

 _Kassandra Lorn, songstess, animal enthusiast, idol, and lover of all. A native of Gotham, the young woman dealt a hard life as a child before ultimately relocating to Metropolis as a teenager. At the young age of twenty the beloved redhead embarked on her musical journey leaving her footprint on the entertainment world. Four years later and the woman is now significantly well put together, holding strongly to her ideals and her belief in love._

 _She is often quoted saying people are made out of love and are ultimately good. I ask what made her become such a firm believer in that idea._

 _"Growing up in Gotham you're surrounded by all sorts of horrible things. Losing the people I love left me heartbroken for a while but there were others who helped me through such times. Their intentions were pure and honest, and I like to believe that that's what people ultimately are. Everyone has love in their heart, whether it be for their significant other or their family or even a pet. There's a shed of good deep inside of everyone."_

 _Many find it admirable that she thinks that way when her own mother was killed during a mugging. I ask what she has to say to them._

 _Her eyes glaze over with a look of pain that lasts only a second, no doubt at the memory of losing her mother._

 _"Everyone goes through tragic things. We are the ones who shape how that affects us, not the other way around. It's important to not allow yourself to become jaded."_

 _It looks to be as if blue blood royalty and fame isn't all Kassandra Lorn is made of. The young singer turned entrepreneur has joined the ranks of Lex Luthor and Bruce Wayne, taking the business world by storm. The spunky redhead is already credited with being the secret behind the recent LexCorp success in launching their newest project, although she herself seems to be much humbler than anticipated._

 _"I don't take credit. The brilliant minds at LexCorp are behind the real work. I just help them get their ideas to those willing to invest," she says as she takes a sip of her coffee - a caramel latte that seems to suit her just well. She speaks fondly of the company as it has become a second home to her. "The people are great. They're a very tight knit group who constantly support each other's newest innovations. It's a great foundation to have as a company."_

 _She appears to be flustered when asked about the recent tumors of her involvement with Lex Luthor. There are countless photographs of the two out for ice cream and dinners ranging from family owned take out spots to five star restaurants. It even seems as though her younger fan base has taken to the Internet to roar of their approval, dubbing them "Lexandra." Her cheeks turn a slight pink at the mention of her fans creating such a thing but she is quick to dismiss the rumors._

 _"No, absolutely not," she says with a small laugh. "We're friends."_

 _The word friend is not often associated with Lex Luthor so her reply has a certain surprise factor to it. It appears that the head of the company has found friendship in the young songstress. Luthor is rarely photographed with anyone who is not a business partner, and the types of outings the two share are a clear indicator that none are business related. I question her about the origin of their friendship which she answers happily._

 _"Oh, we met at the party he threw the other month," her eyes light up with a playfulness that has been come to be known as a signature Lorn trait. "He throws the most exquisite parties, don't you think?"_

 _I can't help but wholeheartedly agree when referencing the party she spoke about. The party she herself performed at was one that was talked about greatly throughout the elite of Metropolis._

 _I ask about her home burning down, and what has happened to Sasha; her pet tiger. Her smile wavers slightly before she replies._

 _"My house burning was a horrible loss to me, but Lex was kind enough to offer me a place to stay. As for Sasha, she had to be taken someplace she would be safe," she replies. She refuses to give the location of the tiger as she insists that revealing that detail would only attract unwanted visitors._

 _When asked about her current living situation she merely shrugs. "Lex and I live well together. We each have our individual spaces but find time to come together and discuss business ideas or simply have a much needed talk about whatever is on our minds. He's really quite loved by those who work for him at LexCorp, and seeing him in a non-work setting really highlights why."_

 _I point out that her compliments seem more than friendly and she laughs again, a melodic sound that fills the room as a slight blush creeps into her cheeks._

 _"Honestly. Lex is an amazing person who really does love his city. It's admirable," she replies with a grin._

 _I remind her that Metropolis has been her city too despite her upbringing in Gotham. She agrees with the fact._

 _"Metropolis is where I've felt the most love and compassion. The amount of loyalty and adoration my fans have so willingly given to me absolutely stuns me but I do my best to try and deserve it. I love this city and I don't think I could ever picture myself anywhere else."_

 _It seems that Kassandra Lorn has taken Metropolis by storm once again, Lex Luthor included, and this time she's here to stay. We can only speculate about the things to come when you bring two powerhouses together, but we're sure it'll be something to watch._

* * *

Lex Luthor set the paper down with a small satisfied grin. He had been unaware that Kassandra had been interviewed by the Daily Planet, by Clark Kent no less, but the article had been something positive. Kassandra had obviously charmed the man who didn't manage to find a single thing to critique her on.

"Friends," he muttered as he drummed his fingers against his desk. Kassandra had portrayed him in a surprisingly positive light and he couldn't help but feel slightly flattered. He never really thought twice about how others saw him, which was usually with admiration, but her compliments seemed to feed his soul a little more than he would have expected. He let out a gleeful chuckle as he reread the article.

"Oh Kassie. Sweet, sweet Kassie," he mumbled as he folded the paper up and placed it into his desk drawer. The woman had been honest when asked about him. They certainly did live well with each other and they were great business partners wit Lex supplying the ideas and Kassandra supplying the charm.

"Mr. Luthor," Mercy knocked on the door before striding in. "These came for you."

"What is this?" Lex asked as he took two envelopes from her. One was a crisp white envelope that looked very formal, the other a black envelope with his name printed in gold lettering. He opened the latter first, his eyebrows furrowing as he read.

"The Metropolis Animal Activists invite you to their 45th Annual Gala due to your generous contribution...Contribution?" He looked at Mercy. "When did we donate money?"

"I suspect your beloved Kassandra might know," she replied bitterly. Lex smirked at her attitude towards the woman. Mercy had shown dislike for her and his fondness of the woman displeased her greatly. Mercy herself was an ambitious woman, part of the reason Lex had hired her in the first place, and she did not appreciate being pushed to the side in favor of the redhead.

"Now now Mercy, no need to be catty," he replied with an amused shake of his finger. The rest of the company had immediately welcomed Kassandra with open arms. The thought of the two women against each other was enough to make him chuckle. "Why don't you go ahead and go home. I'm nearly finished here."

He watched as the woman walked away, the click of her heels ringing against the walls until ultimately fading away altogether. He stared back at the invitation with a wry grin. He should have expected Kassandra to pull something like this eventually.

He tossed the invitation aside before picking up the other envelope. This one was much plainer than the other had been. He raised an eyebrow as he read the return label - the Capitol building. He opened it and read through it several times, cursing underneath his breath. It seemed as if he would have to improvise.

* * *

Lex had arrived home much later than usual that night. It was announced that Superman was to stand trial soon and he had been invited to attend. That was what the envelope had held. The mere thought had sent him spiraling into the claws of alcohol at a bar down the street. Lex was was tired and hungry, and quite frankly still a bit tipsy.

Much to Lex's surprise he was not alone when he entered his kitchen. Kassandra was kneeling down near the glass doors that led to the yard, scooping out small amounts of ice cream for a stray cat who had made her acquaintance. Stray animals had become a common occurrence ever since she had moved in so he couldn't say he was exactly shocked at the sight.

"Shh, I know. But this is all I can give you," she spoke to the cat with a small grin as it meowed loudly. Lex watched with curiosity as the cat lapped at the treat before making his presence known.

"What exactly are you doing?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. She jumped at his voice as an embarrassed blush swept across her. She had assumed Lex had been asleep as she had passed by his room on her way down and had seen the light turned off.

"I'm feeding the cat," she replied as if it was the most routine thing she'd ever done.

"You're feeding it ice cream," Lex replied with an amused grin. He set his car keys down as he leaned against the counter and observed her.

"She said she wanted something sweet," Kassandra defended. The cat meowed loudly in an attempt to regain her attention. She looked down to see it had finished its scoop of the frozen treat. "Scurry along girl. Come back for some more tomorrow."

Lex watched as the cat purred as it tangled between her legs before sprinting out of the kitchen.

"You control animals," Lex stated as he grabbed a spoon from the kitchen drawer and took the pint of strawberry ice cream away from her. He took a spoonful of the treat and savored the sweetness as it hit his taste buds. "You're a metahuman."

Perhaps it was Lex's slightly intoxicated state that caused him to simply lay out his information for her but she didn't seem at all startled at his statements. Instead she hopped onto the counter in which he leaned on and took a spoonful of the ice cream.

"I have an affinity for them, yes," she replied as she ate. She had been wondering when Lex would question her about her abilities. She assumed he had figured it out by now and was simply waiting for the right time.

"How do you control them?" he asked as he took another spoonful. She was dangerously close to him, her bare thighs next to his arms. He quickly surveyed her clothing situation, noticing her navy silk pajama shorts and matching top. He was unaccustomed to women in this situation but she didn't seem to notice his pulse quicken as he brushed against her casually.

"Simply asking them to do something usually suffices."

"And when it doesn't?"

"The minds of animals are very simple compared to humans. It's easy for me to control them although I'd rather not," she admitted as she passed the ice cream back to him. Their demeanor was not that of two adults who were having a serious conversation - they resembled children in the way they talked. With an innocent curiosity to know what they other had to say.

"Why not?" Lex had questions. Probably more than he could think of in this state. He found himself wondering if maybe he should have waited to bring this topic up.

"It's cruel to make someone do something it doesn't wish to do," she replied in a serious tone. He noted her sudden lack of playfulness and frowned as he set the pint of ice cream down. He rummaged through his pantry before pulling out a bag of chocolates and a bottle of sweet moscato from the wine chiller.

"I think we're entitled to this. You for your wonderful work with the company and me, well for being the successful businessman I am," he said with a chuckle as he poured their glasses.

"I can tell you already started without me," she replied with a playful accusation which he merely shrugged to.

"That doesn't mean we can't end the night together," he replied as he clanked his glass against hers. "Cheers."

Kassandra patted the spot next to her in an invitation to sit and Lex found himself sitting on his kitchen counter for the first time in his life. His father had always kept strict rules about proper behavior and he would have never dared to do something like this despite how casual it seemed now. The mere thought of his father caused him to sip more of his drink.

"You shouldn't be so lonely, Lex. It's not good for the soul," Kassandra commented as they ate chocolate and ice cream in silence. Their choice of snacks mirrored those of a child minus the alcohol.

"I'm afraid my soul is all but gone at this point," he replied emotionless.

She scoffed at his answer but remained silent. It was hours into the early morning and light had begun to trickle in through the windows. They both had work the next day, or rather later today, something neither was looking forward to.

"Kassie, why aren't you asleep?" Lex asked as he realized that he'd never seen her up this late. Two in the morning, sure, but it was already nearly six with the sun beginning to rise.

"Nightmares." Her reply was short. Lex merely nodded in understanding. He knew how capable those terrors were of shaking off sleep. He watched her as she looked towards the sunrise with sad eyes that he decided didn't look right on her. He had become so accustomed to the playful sparkle that shined from her eyes whenever they made conversation but she'd often get a sadness in them whenever she thought no one was looking. He had come to actually enjoy her company as her livelihood was refreshing. Her hair was tied in a loose ponytail with loose strands framing her face. She was beautiful, but Lex had learned that beautiful things were often shallow or dangerous. Somehow he didn't see any of that in her. Instead he saw an innocence in her that he yearned to protect.

"You can stay home today. You won't be very productive at work if you're going to be nodding off every ten minutes," he told her as he chewed on the chocolates he had taken out of his pantry. She nodded and muttered a soft thank you in response. "But don't think I'll let you off every time this happens."

She rolled her eyes playfully at his threat and leaned into his side. He froze at the contact. Kassandra seemed to be a very loving girl who enjoyed giving hugs and kisses to nearly everyone she knew. It wasn't surprising for her to treat him the same way, although he did wonder at what exact moment she had decided that it was okay to treat him in such a way. She had been very formal with him at the beginning but had slowly eased into comfort around him over the past months. Something he could relate to as he found himself letting his guard down around her constantly.

"Do you hate me?" She asked as she rested her head against his shoulder.

"Hate you?" He asked in bewilderment. He's done his best to remedy things between them since the house incident, although he knew she still held resentment over Sasha. He had given it much thought as of late and he was almost ready to return her friend to her.

"You hate superman," she replied softly. "I'm not that different."

"Superman isn't from this world."

"You hate him because he does things humans shouldn't be able to do," she continued. "I do things I shouldn't be able to do."

"You don't go around saving people and meddling in things that aren't your business," he replied bluntly.

"No. But I could. I was given the chance and the abilities. And instead I sit here at home while good people die," she replied with a frown. She sat up and grabbed the moscato bottle and poured herself another drink.

"What were you going to do? Set birds loose on people?" Lex joked. She gave him a stern look that caused him to clear his throat. "That's not your job," Lex finally replied as he took a drink from his own glass.

"Is it really anyone's job to save people? Doctors and nurses, they became what they are because they want to help. Superman is the same. He had the choice to live a normal life and he chose to help instead. The world needed someone and then he showed up," she replied. Her voice sounded tired now and Lex frowned deeply at her view on the man.

"He's an abomination."

"Hmm," she hummed. "Aren't well all."

Lex found himself deeply unsettled by the turn their conversation had taken. He had never asked her opinion on Superman in fear of her confirming what he already knew - that she sympathized with the man. It seemed as though metahumans in general felt that way because of the same sense of loneliness they all shared. Being different than those around you was not always a blessing. Would his feelings have been different towards her if she had chosen a life like Superman? None of the metahumans he knew about seemed to want to help the world - besides Diana Prince, but she had walked away from the job over a hundred years ago. Barry Allen of Central City seemed to keep to himself for the most part, and so did the man in the ocean. Making yourself known was almost a death sentence. You could mean well and even then people would rally against you. His stomach sank at the thought of Kassandra being wanted - at the thought of a bounty over her head. He knew he was being hypocritical and quickly shook the thought away.

"I think it's time we get some sleep," he said as he hopped off the counter. He picked the young woman up off the counter, his hands lingering on her waist as he set her down. " _I_ actually have work to do tomorrow."

She shook her head tiredly at his teasing before placing their empty glasses in the sink. Lex threw the empty carton of ice cream into the trash and made a mental note to pick some up on the way home later. Kassandra yawned as she laid against the counter.

"Maybe I'll just sleep here," she said sleepily as she pushed herself up onto the counter once more. Lex shook his head as he pulled her down.

"I gave you a bed so you could sleep in it. What is it with you and falling asleep in the oddest places," he muttered albeit more to himself than to her. She shrugged as she leaned into him and closed her eyes. "Kassie." Lex said as he shook her. She barely opened an eye as she swayed. He sighed deeply before throwing the redhead over his shoulder and making his way up the stairs. She was alarmingly lighter than she looked and he made a mental note to watch her eating habits more closely.

He unceremoniously threw her onto her bed and waited for her to cry out at his lack of gentleness. Instead the girl immediately hugged her pillow and fell straight into her slumber. He smirked at the sight before throwing a blanket over her and heading towards his own bedroom. There he laid for the next hours, unable to sleep as he mulled over what Kassandra had said.

She was wrong, he decided. The world was doing just fine without Superman before.

* * *

 _A/N: Thank you for the support, it's nice to know when people enjoy the story. I will try my best to update once more before I leave on a week long vacation! Much love to you all._


	11. Chapter 11

"Where exactly are we going Lex? I have a meeting in an hour," Kassandra questioned as she followed the man through the halls of LexCorp. He had popped into her office in the middle of her preparation for another meeting and had asked that she follow him- although he didn't give her much of a choice.

"I want to show you my newest toy. You know, besides yourself," Lex replied delightedly as he led her towards the lab. Mercy gave a subtle eye roll that Kassandra managed to catch that caused her to scoff at the woman in annoyance. She was well aware that Mercy disliked her and she had to admit that the feeling was mutual. Mercy followed Lex around like a dog eager to be recognized and given a treat and that only managed to irritate Kassandra whenever she tried to get Lex alone at work. It wasn't at all surprising to find her trailing along them now.

"What is that?" Kassandra asked warily as Lex made a grand reveal of a glass case. Inside it held a giant rock with vibrant green emitting from it. It was an odd color, something that made Kassandra think of radioactivity.

"That, my sweet Kassie, is Kryptonite," he replied with a triumphant smirk. "Otherwise known as Superman's only weakness."

"You can't be serious," Kassandra replied in alarm. She had never imagined that Lex would go to such lengths of acquiring something that wasn't even of this planet in order to destroy one man. She'd noticed Lex's hushed phone calls and odd visitors at late times of the night but her desire to believe in her friend's goodness had made her turn a blind eye.

Lex hummed as he bent to look into the glass admirably, as if he was looking upon some treasured artifact from long ago. This was the key to all of his problems. It was the solution to that abomination that deemed itself worthy of their skies. He grinned to himself as he thought of what was soon to come, stopping when he noticed Mercy's stare. She too stared at the rock with hunger in her eyes, like a hungry dog looking upon a well done steak. He frowned as he straightened up. Mercy was always ambitious but she-like everyone- wanted things for herself. And this was something Lex wasn't exactly eager to share with her.

"I think you'll find that I'm very serious," Lex said as he turned towards the redhead. She was staring curiously at the rock as if she'd never seen something like it- which she in fact hadn't. He pulled out a box from his pocket and opened it to reveal two rings shining brightly. "I had these made. This is for you," he informed as he handed one to her. She looked at the ring, a bright kryptonite center surrounded by a silver band.

"No," she said with a shake of her head, "I don't want it."

Lex let out a frustrated sigh but placed the ring back in the box as he had already anticipated her rejection. Mercy looked at her with jealousy raging throughout her. She had been by Lex Luthor's side for years and here was a girl he'd known for not even one yet, already being offered things she could only dream of. Lex caught sight of Mercy's hateful glare and smirked.

"Mercy, wait outside for us," he ordered. The woman looked at him with confusion before stepping out and ultimately leaving them alone. Kassandra watched as Lex slid his own ring onto his finger and stopped to take in the sight.

"Lex. You don't need that," Kassandra tried to reason as she noticed the triumphant glint that shone from his eyes. His obsession with destroying Superman had grown quickly with each passing day and she worried for his sanity. Lex was clever but he seemed to allow certain things to consume his mind.

"But I do. I need to show Superman that he cannot touch me," he replied. "I will be the one thing Superman will fear."

The look Kassandra gave him was one that could not be described any way else besides a look of concern. Here he stood showing her his prize and yet she remained unimpressed, unfazed even, at the amount of pride he showed at his recent acquisition. Lex felt slightly disappointed at her lack of enthusiasm but reminded himself that the woman did not share his hatred for the man and would not feel what he felt in his accomplishment.

"I just hope you know what you're doing," she replied with a sigh. She gingerly placed a hand on his shoulder. "I care about you."

Lex stared at her dumbfounded. He had not expected her initial reaction to be one of concern and her light touch only made him more confused.

"I have work to do. I'll see you at home," she said as she walked away, her red hair bouncing at her slight skip. He frowned as he watched her leave. He never liked to watch her go.

* * *

"Why are you dragging me to this?" Kassandra complained as Lex stood at her door blocking her only way out. She huffed as she plopped herself down onto her bed, face crinkled in annoyance.

"Because you made the donation so it's only fitting that you're my plus one," he replied with a coy smirk. She rolled her eyes, cursing herself for doing such a thing in the first place.

"I don't have anything to wear," she argued.

"I saw the receipts from your shopping trip the first time. You do have something to wear," he replied knowingly as he walked to her closet. She frowned as he pulled out a black gown embroidered in sparkling Swarovski crystals.

"I forgot about that."

Lex chuckled as he threw the dress onto her bed. It was still inside the protectant plastic bag and the tag was still visible. She had splurged on the dress because it had been Lex's money, but she quickly found she had no place to wear it to. Award season was over so it had simply hung in the back of her closet.

"Get dressed. We leave in an hour,"

he replied with a satisfied grin. She scowled but picked up the dress and headed towards the bathroom.

Lex hummed happily to himself as he fixed himself a drink downstairs. For once it seemed as if everything was going in his favor and that gave him a sense of indestructibility. He would be the last man standing when the flames would finally calm.

"Let's go," Kassandra called out from behind him. He turned and was momentarily stunned. She had always been beautiful but seeing her dressed so lavishly made her look like a princess who had been taken from her kingdom and thrown into his home. Her long hair cascaded down her shoulders and she had taken the liberty of applying some more complex makeup for the night. Lex noted the gold shimmer across her eyelids and the way it brought out the gold flecks in her own eyes.

Kassandra smirked at his reaction. She had purposely fixed herself up. Showing up on Lex Luthor's arm would surely draw the media's attention and she being the person she was would draw even more.

"Are you coming or should I just meet you there?" She asked playfully as she made her way to the door. She grinned triumphantly as she heard the sound of footsteps follow behind her.

* * *

Lex watched as Kassandra made her rounds around the room with a bright smile on her face. She seemed to float in between the crowds, her infectious laughter filling the air. They had done their fair share of media pictures, Lex's arm around her waist as she smiled brightly at the flashing lights. He'd worn a black tuxedo, simple yet matching with what she wore.

"I see you and Kassandra are an item now," came a husky voice next to Lex. He looked up to see Bruce Wayne dressed in his own expensive tux, staring straight at the woman who currently occupied his thoughts.

"Shouldn't you be in Gotham?" Lex replied as he took a sip of his drink. He felt a hint of annoyance that the man was in his city. "Doing whatever it is you do?"

"You mean run a billion dollar company?" he said smugly, "Diana invited me," Bruce replied with a smirk.

"Ah! Of course. And where is Ms. Prince?" Lex asked as he looked at the man questioningly. Bruce chuckled.

"She's right there with Kassie."

"Don't call her that," Lex replied in annoyance as he returned his gaze toward's Kassandra's direction. Bruce Wayne was right as he found the two women speaking to each other in hushed tones with their heads together similar to high school girls trading secrets.

"Mr. Wayne, this place is absolutely insane!" a young man exclaimed as he appeared next to him. "Really, do you throw these kinds of things in Gotham? I just saw a plate full of caviar as big as my face," he continued.

Bruce Wayne chuckled at the young man's ramble before hushing him as he placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Barry, this is Lex Luthor," he said as he gestured towards Lex. The young man's mouth dropped as he realized he was standing in the presence of the man who had helped build up the city with his genius endeavors. "Lex, this is Barry Allen. He's a forensic scientist I recently had the pleasure of meeting through Diana."

"It is so nice to finally meet you! Gosh, wow," Barry said excitedly as he shook Lex's hand. Lex raised an eyebrow at the young man's energy and felt as though he had seen him before. It took him a second before he placed him. This was the other young metahuman from Central City that he kept files on. He looked between Bruce and Barry with a tight smile as he felt his world begin to close in on him slowly. Bruce Wayne was proving to be a problem.

"Barry?" A voice called out from behind them. They all turned to see Kassandra and Diana approach them, Kassandra breaking away from Diana's side. Barry smiled broadly as he rushed to hug the young redhead, picking her up and twirling her around in a grand way.

Lex frowned at their embrace as he looked between them. They obviously knew each other- Kassandra's bright smile never once leaving her face and Barry kissing her cheek loudly. Lex's eyes narrowed as they separated and he noticed that Barry kept his hands on her waist.

"They used to date," Diana informed the pair of men with a satisfied smile as she stood in between them. They all watched as Kassandra and Barry entered a lively conversation full of wild hand gestures and laughter.

"Figures," Bruce commented, "those two would be a match made in heaven."

"Obviously not if they broke up for some reason," Lex said hotly. "If you excuse me, I have important people to see."

Bruce and Diana watched with satisfied smirks as Lex Luthor walked away from them. He threw himself into a circle of boring old businessmen, nodding along to their conversation about the stocks going up while keeping his eyes trained on Kassandra the entire time. He found himself growing irritated as the time passed on and Kassandra had yet to break away from the man.

Kassandra felt someone's stare burning through her back and was not at all surprised to see Lex glaring daggers at her and Barry.

"Hey Bear, I'll see you around okay? I gotta go," she said as she gestured towards Lex. His eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"So the rumors are true? You're dating?" He asked incredulously. "That guy is impressive Kass. But Diana doesn't seem to speak too highly of him," he said with a frown. Kassandra laughed and shook her head.

"When does Diana ever speak highly of anyone?" she said with a roll of her eyes. "No. We're just friends," she replied as she gave him a goodbye hug.

"Yeah, that's how we started too!" He called out with a smirk as she walked away. She laughed at his comment, noticing the looks everyone seemed to give them at their exchange. He never did change.

"Lex," she greeted as she stepped into the small circle of men. "If you all don't mind I'd like to steal Mr. Luthor for a moment," she said with a smile.

"By all means dear, you are better company than we are," an older man said with a laugh. Lex nodded in goodbye as he allowed Kassandra to pull him away. Once they were clear of the suffocating group she stole his glass of champagne from his grip and finished it in one gulp, leaving Lex to look at her curiously.

"Can we go home now?" she asked pleadingly, "I'm kind of over this thing."

"Last I saw you were enjoying yourself," Lex replied with a tight grin. He reached for another drink behind him, Kassandra's hand stopping his before he could clutch the glass. She intertwined her fingers through his in an oddly affectionate gesture.

"Please Lex," she pleaded with a sigh. He looked down at her thin fingers jumbled up with his own and regarded it as though he were looking at a new species. This was an intimate gesture- one he had never had the pleasure of experiencing. Needless to say the odd yet satisfying feeling of her skin against his managed to soften his heart if only for a moment as he nodded in agreement.

He smirked as he looked up and realized that the party had turned their attention to the two- murmurs going around the room as many people attempted to be subtle as they snapped away photos on their phones. His eyes landed on Bruce Wayne and his lovely lady companion who looked displeased with what they were seeing. His eyes moved to Barry, and he felt his eyebrows furrow in confusion as he saw him smiling broadly at the pair.

Kassandra smiled happily at his agreement- seeming to be completely oblivious to the fact that everyone was staring. Or perhaps Lex was mistaken and she knew they were, but she just didn't care.

She let go of his hand as Lex replaced it onto her waist as he led her out of the building.

"Give it back," he ordered with a small smirk as they neared their car. Kassandra sighed and rolled her eyes as she returned the kryptonite ring she had expertly stolen from his fingers.

"I hate that damn thing," she muttered beneath her breath.

* * *

 ** _A/N:_** _I deeply apologize for the long wait! I have had so much going on and I'm just overwhelmed at this point. Thank you so much to those who still follow this story! Let me know what you think in a review, and don't forget to follow/favorite if you desire to do so!_

 _Again, thank you so much for sticking by me and this story. I will do my best to update sooner!_


	12. Chapter 12

"You're losing your touch old friend," Diana Prince commented with a smirk as she blocked yet another shot from Kassandra.

"Says the woman who's over a century old," she replied with a laugh as she kicked out, successfully landing a foot on Diana that caused her to stumble back. Diana laughed as she stood up again and reached for her sword.

"Okay. Not too bad in hand to hand combat. What about the rest?"

Kassandra wiped the sweat off of her forehead with the back of her hand. The two women had found themselves in an abandoned warehouse away from all of society where they would train. Exactly for what, Kassandra wasn't completely sure but Diana had instilled a sense of instinctive defense into her at an early age and the two still practiced til that day. Diana had apparently seen many things in her life time and wanted to ensure that Kassandra could protect herself if the need ever came.

Kassandra grinned as she picked up a golden bow and swung the quiver onto her back.

"You know I've always been more of an archer," she replied as she grabbed an arrow and aimed for a can that sat at the opposite of the warehouse. She let go as the gold metal flew through the air and pierced the can, pinning it to the wall. Diana nodded, impressed that after months of being on tour the young woman still had impeccable aim.

Kassandra grinned triumphantly as an arrow appeared in her quiver to replace the one she had shot.

The bow and quiver had been a gift from Diana. The weapons themselves had been given to her by Zeus and she had found Kassandra worthy to carry it. Besides, she had always preferred the sword.

Diana had also gifted her bracelets and armor similar to her own except black in color. Perhaps it had been her maternal instincts that led her to do it but Kassandra had hesitantly accepted. She kept the weapons concealed in a duffel bag and stored in a security box at her bank. She only ever retrieved it whenever Diana would suggest they practice. She could see the edges of the armored skies and bodice sticking out of the bag as she had opted for jeans and a t-shirt that day.

"So Superman, any idea on his real identity?" Kassandra asked as she shot another arrow. It pierced the can once more.

"No. I haven't had any luck," Diana replied as she whacked away at a wooden statue she always used to practice her sword skills. "What about you?"

"I wouldn't know where to begin," Kassandra replied honestly as she began to shoot arrows quickly, one after the other, each piercing through the arrow that had come before.

"Start with Lex," Diana replied as she stopped.

"I highly doubt he'd let me in on that secret," Kassandra replied with a laugh.

"I don't know what you see in that man," Diana sighed as she sheathed her word.

"Men are complicated. You know that," her friend replied with a shrug.

"And what of Sasha?"

Kassandra sighed as the tigress was brought up in conversation. Lex had finally revealed the location of her friend after she had relentlessly questioned him. Lex normally would have found such insistence to be annoying but took pity on Kassandra as he realized that she was much like himself with nearly no friends. The redhead had immediately visited the zoo only to find that Sasha was perfectly content around her own kind. The tigress was thrilled to see her again but was hesitant when asked if she would return. Kassandra had left her there and returned empty handed to the Luthor Mansion.

"She's doing well. She's with her kind."

"Does it not bother you? That Lex took her away?"

"He might have taken her away but she's happy now. That's all that matters," Kassandra replied definitively. Diana shook her head at her naivety. Bruce had confided in her that Luthor was bringing something to Metropolis. Something big that would change the course of the world.

"You're surrounding yourself with someone who is not afraid of being burned by the fire he sets," Diana replied as they packed up their things.

"I've never been afraid of getting hurt."

"That is your downfall, my love," Diana said softly as she looked down at the small woman. She caressed her cheeks lovingly, the same way she had done when they had first met. "You are too good for such a man."

Kassandra stared up at the woman who had taken her in, who had protected her half of her life. Here stood the amazing Wonder Woman, and yet she seemed so vulnerable when looking down at her. Her worry shining through her eyes made her seem more human.

"I can handle Lex Luthor," she replied with a small smirk. Diana chuckled as she pulled her hand away from the woman's fair face.

"I don't doubt it."

* * *

Lex stood at Kassandra's door as he watched her slip on plain black heels. She was dressed drastically different today in a fitted blazer and matching pencil skirt. She looked like every other business woman he had ever encountered and Lex didn't like it one bit.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked as he stepped into her room. He was dressed in similar fashion, his shirt devoid of polka dots or graphic monkeys, looking well put together.

"The hearing," Kassandra replied simply as she tied her hair up. Her clothing has stiff and uncomfortable but this was the U.S. Capitol. She hardly thought wearing a floral dress would be appropriate. Her television was turned on and she could hear the news anchor talk about the excitement spurring outside as they all awaited eagerly for Superman's arrival.

"No."

"What the hell do you mean no?" She asked as she whirled around, colliding straight into his chest. Within an instant there was a click and an unfamiliar pressure on her wrist. She looked down to see that Lex had handcuffed her to her bed frame.

"What the fuck are you doing?" She exclaimed as she stared at the cool metal around her wrist.

"I'm afraid I can't allow you to go to that," Lex replied with a smirk."You're welcome to watch it on television though."

"Lex," Kassandra growled, "let me go."

"No can do doll," he chuckled, "that's made of a new metal engineered in LexCorp. It's supposed to be unbreakable."

Kassandra rolled her eyes at his smug look as she pulled at the chain. The chain didn't break but the wooden bed frame gave way as she used all her force to pull, a wooden chunk now hanging from her wrist.

"Ah, metahuman strength. Good thing I prepared for that too."

Kassandra yelped in surprise as Lex stuck a syringe into her neck, filling her with a strong sedative. The harsh entry had hurt and her hand immediately went to touch the small wound. She stumbled into Lex's arms as her eyes fluttered closed-ultimately falling unconscious. He lifted her up into her bed, stopping for a moment to uncuff her and drape a blanket over her body.

He stared at her for a few minutes as he pondered whether he had done the right thing. She would surely have something to say when she woke up and he was certain that it would involve a string of profanities aimed his way.

He wasn't prepared to lose his only friend. And she _was_ his friend despite how often he denied the use of the word. He decided that even if she woke and decided she wanted nothing to do with him, it was better than her being gone.

* * *

Kassandra groaned as she felt her consciousness finally begin to return to her. Her body still felt heavy but the fogginess that clouded her mind began to dissipate. She blinked, taking a moment to place where she was and realized that she was still at home laying in her bed.

Screams were what finally got her attention as she turned to the television that had been left on. There was a loud explosion with fire burning and ash filling the sky. She held her breath when she realized that it was the Capitol building that was on the news. She could see the hundreds of superman fanatics scatter as the fire filled the entire building, killing many of the people inside instantly.

"Lex," she said softly as her heart stopped. Lex had been invited. He had drugged her and left her here while he went to attend. Lex was inside that building, and she wasn't sure if he was still alive.

Without a second thought she bolted out of the room, passing the house maids and slipping on her shoes as quickly as she could. Her hands fumbled for the keys to a car, _any_ car, before she threw the door open- only to see a white rolls royce pulling up to the home.

Lex parked and stepped out as calmly as if he had just gone on a ride around the neighborhood. There was no sense of panic or worry as he shut his door but he was surprised to see Kassandra up and on the doorstep. He figured that her metahuman genes must have worked out the sedative faster than he anticipated.

Kassandra ran up up him and embraced him tightly. He stumbled back at the force, his eyebrows knitted in confusion at the gesture given. She smelled sweet, like honey and roses and his heart momentarily fluttered.

"You bastard! I thought you had died!" she exclaimed as she stepped back and forcefully hit him in the chest. He let out a grunt as he took the impact, shocked at the punch the young woman gave. He'd never once seen her be violent before.

"I'm clearly alive and well," Lex replied with a small smirk. The fact Kassandra had instantly worried for him pleased him. He had found that he was investing too much thought into her as of late and it was satisfying to know that the redhead was just as involved with him as he was with her, if not more. She frowned as she took another step back, shaking her head as the fog of worry finally began to clear in her mind.

"You drugged me," she stated as she looked him in the eye. Lex didn't flinch at her angry tone. He had prepared himself for it the entire ride home. "You...you _knew_ what was going to happen."

Lex didn't have to ask to know what she was referring to. Kassandra was a clever girl and she was bound to realize what had happened, what he had done. The capitol had been blown to pieces while they, invited members of the public who were expected to attend, remained unscathed. That was no coincidence.

"How could you do such a thing?!" Kassandra roared as she took another step back in disgust. Lex had killed innocent people and yet he stood in front of her as if it was just another Tuesday afternoon. As if he hadn't ruined the lives of hundreds by killing their spouses, their mothers, their fathers. For the first time Kassandra saw the monster she had been told so much about.

"For us," Lex replied simply as he stood frozen at her outburst. He had been waiting for the moment she would realize that he wasn't the man she painted him out to be. He wasn't just her rich, lonely friend who treated her as an equal, although he did so for his own gains. She had failed to see how manipulative he had been and a part of him simply wanted to cry at the look of revulsion she gave him. But he didn't cry. No, he would not let her see him become weak at her hands.

"For us? No. You mean for _you_ ," Kassandra accused with a furious shake of her head. "You and your sick need to see Superman fall."

"I saved you," Lex hissed, his cool exterior fading away quickly at her anger.

"I didn't ask to be saved," she retorted with a venomous look. "You think I'm naive? You think I don't know that you keep me around because I make you look good? That I make you easier to accept? You know, I really thought there was some good in you, but I can see that I was wrong."

"You are wrong," Lex snapped as he took a step forward and grabbed her by the arm. His fingers dug into her skin as his grip tightened around her. "I saved you because I _care_. Because I know what it is like to feel alone and I swear to fucking god, _if_ he even exists, I would go insane if you were gone. You are what I have left."

He let go of her as she staggered back slightly, surprised at his sudden force.

'You don't own me."

Lex's face remained stoic at her words. He knew damn well he didn't own her and that thought was what kept him up at night. She was a free spirit and would always be despite anything he did to try to make it otherwise. They stood staring at one another, both of their chests heaving as they attempted to control themselves. Lex was the first to enter a phlegmatic stance, his natural instinct to conceal emotions taking over. She frowned and stepped back into the house.

"Where are you going?" Lex called out at her.

"I need to be alone."

* * *

Lois Lane was having what was quite possibly the worst day of her life. She had seen the explosion firsthand and had been unable to reach Clark after he had flown away from the incident. His phone was completely shut off and she had left a substantial amount of voicemails but still had no success. So instead she had stopped at a hidden coffee shop to pick up a much needed dose of caffeine as she prepared to write what would be one of her most difficult articles of her career.

"Kassandra Lorn?" she asked as she spotted a young woman hidden in the corner. The woman looked up at the reporter with a tired look on her face and Lois couldn't help but notice the defeated look her eyes held. "Lois Lane, for the Daily Planet."

"Ah, I've heard of you," the young woman said with a small smile that didn't resonate in her eyes.

"Mind if I sit?" Lois asked as she pointed toward the empty chair across from her. Kassandra shook her head and motioned for her to take a seat. Lois set her coffee down and observed the woman for a moment.

The usually confident woman slumped in her chair. She was dressed in casual clothing instead of the usual attire she was always photographed in. All in all, she didn't seem like herself at all.

"Rough day?" Lois asked as she watched the woman stare absentmindedly at her cup of coffee.

"Hasn't it been for everyone?" Kassandra replied dully. The small television in the corner of the shop was tuned to the news and they were still talking about the Capitol incident as they had been all day. She shut her eyes and wished it all away.

"You weren't at the hearing."

Kassandra's eyes snapped open and she stared at the woman with a hard look before taking a sip of her coffee.

"I overslept."

"Lex Luthor was there."

"And?"

"You live together. How was it that you overslept yet he managed to get there on time?"

Kassandra stared coldly at Lois as she realized what the woman was insinuating. She still felt the need to protect Lex after what he had done and was annoyed at the strange woman's questions.

"Lex doesn't control my life. We have our own privacy, one of them being the rule of not disturbing each other's sleep."

Lois frowned at the sudden tone Kassandra had taken with her. Deep down she knew that Lex was somehow behind all of this. She just needed a way to prove it and Kassandra Lorn was the closest to Lex she would be able to get.

"He was there and walked away unscathed. He left before the hearing started actually. Any idea why?"

Kassandra could feel her agitation growing. The reason she had left the house an hour before was to escape all of this talk and now the woman was throwing it all in her face again as she attempted to dig information out of her. It was something she really didn't appreciate in her foul mood.

"No. Why don't you ask him yourself? You are a reporter after all."

Lois looked at her with a wry smile. "I've tried calling. He won't pick up."

"Lex is a busy man," Kassandra replied with a shrug.

"Kassandra, you can trust me," Lois said with a sigh. "I can help you. You can talk to me."

Kassandra laughed and shook her head. This woman really was ridiculous if she thought herself capable of helping anyone who Lex had somehow managed to get his grasp on. He always got what he wanted. That much Kassandra had learned, and Lex wasn't about to let her out of his sight.

And it wasn't like she had any real motivation to leave anyway. Lex, despite being severely twisted with all of his plans, had remained a good friend to her. She wasn't too sure that she wanted to give that up any time soon. She had no real excuse for him. She knew damn well that he wasn't exactly a _good_ person yet she couldn't let go.

"I have to go." Kassandra rose from her seat and pushed her hair back. Lois caught sight of a red mark on her neck as if she had been punctured with something and took a mental note of it.

"Kass," Lois called out as she attempted to stop the woman from leaving by grabbing her arm. Kassandra immediately recoiled out of her grasp as she had touched the same spot Lex's fingers had dug into her just hours before, sending a shooting pain through her arm.

"That nickname is saved especially for friends. Now if I have anything to say to the Daily Planet I will say it to Clark Kent as he appears to be the only one with decent manners," she spat in aggravation. Lois felt as if she had been slapped by her words. The reporter stayed silent and instead drew a small business card out of her purse.

"In case you ever need anything. I'm here, Kassandra."

Kassandra stared at her outstretched hand in disbelief before taking the card and shoving it into her pocket.

"Have a good night, Miss Lane."


End file.
